Dairy Defined: The World Wants U.S. Dairy

Mar 02, 2021

The false-but-pernicious idea that dairy is dying has already been laid to rest multiple times. Per-capita consumption of all dairy is its highest since the 1950s. Even fluid-milk purchases (the dairy opponents’ cherry-picked data of choice) rose at grocery stores last year, as consumers sought out what they needed most during a time of higher stress.

But even all that analysis fails to point out another, increasingly important fact crucial to understanding U.S. dairy’s true importance: More than ever, it’s not just Americans seeking out these high-quality, high-nutrition products. U.S. dairy increasingly nourishes the world, with 2020 the most emphatic illustration of that point.

dairy exports record

Last year, total milk solids exports (the measurement accommodates for the different types of products milk’s made into) topped 2 million metric tons for the first time, reaching 2.086 million, based on government data crunched by the U.S. Dairy Export Council. Revenues were the highest since 2014. And the percentage of U.S. milk production that’s shipped to other countries increased to 16 percent, showing just how important exports are becoming for U.S. dairy producers – and the consumers around the world who rely on them.

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Video: Dr. Emerson Nafziger: Nitrogen Fertilizer Rates for Corn

The Crop Science Podcast Show, Dr. Emerson Nafziger from the University of Illinois breaks down decades of nitrogen research. From the evolution of N rate guidelines to how soil health and hybrid genetics influence nitrogen use efficiency, this conversation unpacks the science behind smarter fertilization. Improving how we set nitrogen fertilizer rates for rainfed corn is a key focus. Discover why the MRTN model matters more than ever, and how shifting mindsets and better data can boost yields and environmental outcomes. Tune in now on all major platforms!

"The nitrogen that comes from soil mineralization is the first nitrogen the plant sees, and its role is underestimated."

Meet the guest:

Dr. Emerson Nafziger is Professor Emeritus of Crop Sciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, with degrees in agronomy from Ohio State, Purdue, and Illinois. His research has focused on nitrogen rate strategies and crop productivity. He co-developed the Maximum Return to Nitrogen (MRTN) model, which is widely used across the Midwest. His research spans N response trials, hybrid interactions, crop rotation effects, and yield stability.