The dairy industry has faced significant challenges over the last few decades including consolidation, market fluctuations, and labor concerns that have compounded over time. Despite these challenges, the U.S. dairy industry is coming off a highly productive 2025 and production forecasts for 2026 are expected to rise to 234.7 billion pounds driven by higher productivity per cow and increased dairy cow inventory. 

The Dairy Herd and Production                           

The U.S. dairy herd, in terms of size, has fluctuated significantly over...