By Jamie Martin
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) has launched its quarterly Milk Production survey to monitor trends in the nation’s dairy industry. Conducted every January, April, July, and October, the survey collects important details on herd size and milk output.
About 4,500 milk producers across the United States will take part by reporting the number of milk cows in their herds, the number being milked, and total milk produced on the first day of the month. NASS also records how much milk is consumed on the farm and how much is fed to calves.
“The dairy industry relies on the Milk Production reports to make decisions about the marketing of milk,” said NASS Livestock Branch Chief, Travis Averill. “By participating in the survey, milk producers can ensure that NASS provides timely, accurate and useful data that all sectors of the U.S. milk industry use to make sound business decisions.”
All responses are kept strictly confidential. NASS is required by law to protect individual privacy and only releases information in aggregate form.
The final Milk Production report will be published on Wednesday, October 22, 2025. Results can be accessed at nass.usda.gov/publications and through the Quick Stats database at quickstats.nass.usda.gov. For assistance, farmers can call 888-424-7828.
This nationwide data collection ensures accurate insight for marketing, production planning, and policy decisions within the U.S. dairy market.
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Categories: National