Dairy Farm Numbers Drop to Lowest since American Pioneer Days

The number of U.S. Dairy Farms decreased in 2021, at a 5.7% loss. While cow numbers held steady, the number of farms fell under 30,000 for the first time since American pioneer days. Ohio was hit the hardest, losing 7.2% of its dairy operations. In 1992, Hoard’s Dairyman began tracking the number of commercial dairy farms. Now, USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service publishes the information each February. Data such as herd size is collected and has shown that in the past 30 years, the average herd size has grown from 74 to 317 cows.

Read more on dairy farm numbers and herd sizes here.