Letter from Rep. Danou: Good News for Wisconsin Milk Production during June Dairy Month

• Rep. Danou

Rep. Danou

Talk about it

National Dairy Month began in 1937 as National Milk Month as a way to promote and encourage people to drink milk. Since 1939, the month of June has been recognized as Dairy Month in Wisconsin. During one of the worst years of the Great Depression, Dairy Month was intended to highlight the national dairy industry at a time of significant milk surpluses and drastically low milk prices.

Over the last 75 years, Dairy Month has become an annual occasion in which communities across the state celebrate the achievements of the dairy industry through various events that feature Wisconsin’s finest dairy products. These achievements pump our region’s economy and give us an opportunity to come together and celebrate the commitment dairy farmers have made to their animals and our community.

Thanks to modern farming equipment and techniques, farmers continue to produce more on less land and with fewer animals. These techniques also allow our farmers to be good stewards of the land and environment for future generations of farmers in our community and across our state. One aspect of the dairy industry in Wisconsin that has witnessed continued efficiency and growing output has been milk production.

Milk production is at the center of Wisconsin’s successful dairy industry. For decades, Wisconsin has been a national leader in milk production and solidified our state’s reputation as “America’s Dairyland.” Last month, Wisconsin cows produced 2.34 billion pounds of milk, a 2.4% increase from May 2011 while the rest of the nation witnessed a 2.1% increase.

Wisconsin’s dairy herd grew by 5,000 last month, to 1.27 million cows and the state’s production per cow increased by 35 pounds, to just over 1,840 pounds.

This is good news for Western Wisconsin and communities across our state. Wisconsin’s $26.5 billion dairy industry is crucial to our economic success and well-being as it provides jobs to people on the farm. Job opportunities within the dairy industry go beyond the farm and include veterinarians, crop and livestock consultants, suppliers, dealers, lenders and builders. Local businesses are supported by dairy products and services purchased to support the production of milk.

I hope everyone had an opportunity to celebrate the dairy industry this month. If not, please be sure to take a moment and raise your glass of milk and toast all the dairy farmers in our community and across our state for June Dairy Month in Wisconsin

Tags: wisconsin legislature, news, government, politics, wisconsin