Texas is Now the Third Largest Dairy State – Passes Idaho

Texas milk production growth has steadily risen over the last two decades. The latest USDA March 2022 Milk Production report shows the Lone Star State climbed 6.7%, which helped them push past Idaho, to now rank number three for milk production.

According to Juan Piñeiro, Assistant Professor and Extension Dairy Specialist with Texas A&M, Texas's milk production has increased an impressive 190%, going from 5.1 billion lbs. to 14.8 billion lbs. from 2001 to 2020.

The expansion of milk processing capacity and new plant construction in the Panhandle has spurred the increase in both cow numbers and production that Texas has seen.

A privately-owned maker of Mexican-style cheese, Cacique LLC, is scheduled to begin operation of a processing facility in Amarillo this fall. Just 50 miles north, in Dumas, another plant is also under construction. A new Leprino mozzarella cheese and dairy ingredients plant is scheduled to break ground in Lubbock this summer, with anticipated completion in two phases by early 2026.

Additionally, northeast of the Panhandle, Hilmar Cheese Company is building a cheese and whey protein processing plant that is expected to be fully operational in 2024 in Dodge City, Kansas.  "Some of the milk from the Texas panhandle will be diverted towards that plant," Piñeiro says.

To view the complete report, click here.

Editor’s Take:

It has been very interesting to observe the shift in dairy production over the past several decades. The dairy industry was previously centered in the Northeast and Upper Midwest at one time. Now the top ten states are California, Wisconsin, Texas, Idaho, New York, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, New Mexico and Washington. Dairy production, although maintaining good representation in the Midwest, has shifted to the Southwest and West over time. This is important because dairy producers purchase lots of trucks. That means you should know where your state stands and go after those dairy farmers with AgPack to entice them to buy from you – a solid CAD member!