Geographical changes in dairy production have been a long unfolding trend, but today’s USDA release of milk production and milk cow inventory by state reinforces the magnitude of how the dairy industry is changing – showing the continued evolution of “cheese states.”  The long transition away from fluid beverage milk consumption toward manufactured dairy products, especially cheese, has had the biggest impact on the dairy industry. Since 1975, fluid milk consumption has decreased 46 percent while cheese consumption has increased 169 percent. The two axes in the chart below show fluid milk consumption in pounds of milk (this includes low fat milk which weighs less per pound – 8.5 pounds – and whole m...

TAGS – Livestock, North America