Texas Passes Idaho as the No. 3 Milk State

By Sean Ellis

Texas produced a sliver more milk than Idaho in February, knocking Idaho into fourth place in the U.S. in that category.

Idaho had been the No. 3 milk state in the nation, staying just ahead of New York, which it passed several years ago, and well behind No. 1 California and No. 2 Wisconsin.

According to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, Texas dairies produced 1.39 billion pounds of milk in February, while Idaho’s 350 dairies produced 1.37 billion pounds.

New York, which had played leapfrog with Idaho in past years for the No. 3 spot, produced 1.24 billion pounds of milk in February.

California dairies produced 3.13 billion pounds of milk in February and Wisconsin dairies produced 2.48 billion pounds.

Idaho Dairymen’s Association Executive Director Rick Naerebout pointed out that the margin between Texas and Idaho in total milk production is razor thin and Idaho still produces a lot of milk.

According to USDA, Idaho has 705,000 milk cows and Texas has 683,000.

Over the past year, Texas passed Idaho in milk production by 14 million total pounds. According to Naerebout, that amounts to less than a third of one day’s production.  

“Texas may have passed us but we’re still growing,” he said. “Texas is just growing at a more rapid pace than we are.”

While it was cool to be the No. 3 dairy state, the fact is both states have healthy dairy industries and that’s a great thing, he said.