ST. PAUL -- "Dairy farmers are part of the backbone of our country, and with June being dairy month, it gives everyone a great opportunity to show dairy farmers some much-deserved appreciation," says Doug Peterson, Minnesota Farmers Union President. "Minnesota Farmers Union would like to thank all the dairy farmers for the healthy and fresh milk they produce, and applaud them for all their hard work."
"Minnesota Farmers Union is hard at work improving the bottom line for dairy farmers. Already this year, we helped pass the Livestock Investment Grant Program on the state level, which provides $1 million in funding for qualified infrastructure improvements," Peterson says. "And on the federal level, the restoration of the 45 percent payment rate of the Milk Income Loss Contract Program."
Still ranking high
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service for Minnesota in 2007, which means the statistical data is taken from 2006, Minnesota is 6th in milk cows, and milk production; 5th in total cheese and ice cream; and 4th in American cheese.
Ups and downs
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For milk cows, Minnesota counties are ranked as: Stearns, Morrison, Winona, Otter Tail, Goodhue, Wabasha, Todd, Stevens, Fillmore and Benton. Milk production leads with Stearns, followed by Winona, Morrison, Otter Tail, Goodhue, Wabasha, Todd, Fillmore, Benton and Stevens.
Minnesota's milk production totaled 8.36 billion pounds in 2006, up 2 percent from 2005. The state's share of national production in 2006 was 5 percent. The 12-month average number of milk cows was 450,000 versus 453,000 in 2005. The pounds of milk per milk cow averaged a record high of 18,587, up from 18,091 pounds in 2005. The number of dairy farms licensed to sell milk to plants in January, 2007 totaled 5,187 compared with 5,384 for January 2006 and 5,638 for January 2005.
For milk production by size of farm Minnesota had 2.5 percent with one to 29 cows (2.5 percent in 2005); 13 percent with 30 to 49 cows (15 percent in 2005); 32 percent with 50 to 99 cows (34 percent in 2005); 17 percent with 100 to 199 cows (17 percent in 2005); 18 percent with 200 to 499 cows (17 percent in 2005); and 17.5 percent with 500 or more cows (14.5 percent in 2005).
The total pounds of milk produced in Minnesota is 8,364 million (8,195 million in 2005), of which 100 million pounds were fed to calves (95 million in 2005); 5 million consumed by the farm household (5 million in 2005); and 8,259 million sold to plants and dealers (8,095 million in 2005). Cash receipts were 1,073,670 in 1,000 dollars (1,246,630 in 2005), and producer gross income was 1,074,320 in 1,000 dollars (1,247,400 in 2005).
Editor's Note: The Minnesota Farmers Union is a nonprofit membership-based organization working to protect and enhance the economic interests and quality of life of family farmers and ranchers, as well as rural communities.
