Over the last two years, the sector has grown dramatically.
According to the latest Economic Impact Report from the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA), the US dairy industry has grown significantly over the last two years, adding nearly 60,000 new jobs, increasing average wages by 11%, and increasing its total impact on the US economy by $41 billion.
According to IDFA’s 2023 Economic effect Study, the overall effect of the dairy industry—including the milk, cheese, ice cream, cultured dairy products, and ingredients sectors—was $793.75 billion in the United States. The study is published every two years during National Dairy Month to assess the industry’s influence on local, state, and national economies.
According to recently disclosed data, the dairy business in the United States today supports:
3.2 million overall employment, up from 1.018 million in 2021, including 1.078 million in dairy product production.
Workers in the dairy business will earn $49 billion in direct salaries, up from $42 billion in 2021.
$72.0 billion in federal, state, and municipal taxes (excluding consumer sales taxes), up from $67.1 billion in 2021 3% of U.S. GDP
“The United States dairy industry is expanding to meet intense global demand, which means more jobs, higher wages, more tax breaks, and more economic growth for communities across the country,” said Michael Dykes, D.V.M., IDFA president and CEO. “Consumers in the United States and around the world recognise U.S. dairy products for their nourishing and delicious qualities, and they are purchasing record amounts of U.S. dairy products.” In turn, American dairy enterprises provide economic advantages to the areas in which they operate.”
The paper also shows how several dairy product categories contribute directly to the US economy, such as:
Cheese has a direct economic effect of $64.5 billion and supports 59,538 dairy sector employment.
Milk has a direct economic effect of $50.9 billion and supports 67,995 dairy sector employment.
Dairy Ingredients: Has a direct economic effect of $20.4 billion and supports 16,552 dairy sector employment.
Ice cream has a direct economic effect of $11.4 billion and supports 27,066 dairy sector jobs.
Yoghurt and cultured products have a direct economic effect of $8.3 billion and sustain 10,867 dairy sector employment.
The increase in employment and economic effect comes as demand for American dairy continues to rise. The USDA announced in September 2022 that per capita dairy consumption in the United States increased by 12.4 pounds per person in 2021, following a 50-year increasing trend that began in 1975, when the USDA began measuring yearly consumption.
The results of the research are accessible via an interactive economic impact tool on IDFA’s Dairy Delivers® website, where visitors may click on an interactive map of the United States to understand how dairy affects their town. Simply choose a region of the nation that interests you—the whole United States, any of the 50 states, or any of the 435 Congressional districts are all available. After you’ve selected the state and/or district of interest, click View/Print to create your own thorough information sheet or economic impact report.
The economic effect of the dairy business in the United States is roughly $794 billion.
According to the latest Economic Impact Report from the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA), the US dairy industry has grown significantly over the last two years, adding nearly 60,000 new jobs, increasing average wages by 11%, and increasing its total impact on the US economy by $41 billion.
