Missouri Nation’s 25th-Largest Milk Producer

For dairy farmers, their job is a 24-hour, 7-day-a-week commitment to their animals, their land and to their communities. More than 47,000 dairy farms across the country, and 8,000 in the heart of the Midwest, contribute jobs and income to fuel our local communities. And their commitment doesn’t stop there. Their hard work can be seen in the real, fresh and naturally nutrient-rich foods that fuel our families.

Dairy farmers care for their land, their animals and are dedicated to providing us with a safe and wholesome milk supply. And where milk goes, jobs follow. From farm to processor to distribution and retail, dairy creates jobs that support the economic well-being of rural and urban America.

Here's a quick look at dairy by the numbers

• Dairy farmers support rural communities in all 50 states and Puerto Rico.

• There are about 47,000 dairy farms in the United States. including about 8.000 in the Midwest Dairy's 10 states.

• About 97 percent of US. dairy farms are family owned and operated.

• There are approximately 25 million dairy cows in the United States. The average herd size is 1% cons.

• The value of all milk prod-ucts sold from US. dairy lams is more than $402 billion.

• Dairy hills sustain rural America. Even under the nation's current economic challenges, dairy farmers and companies are a lifeline to more than 900.000 jobs in the United States. • Milk is local. It rakes about 48 hours for milk to travel from dairy farms to the store.

Missouri

• In Missouri, there are about 1,230 licensed dairy herds.

• The size of the farming industry in Missouri makes it the 25th largest milk-produc-ing state in the United States.

• Milk production on Missouri dairy farms yielded approximately 161 million gallons of milk in 2014.

• Missouri farms generate approximately- 5276 million in milk sales annually.

• In Missouri, the average dairy cow produces about 4.7 Okras of milk per day. That's more than 1.705 lotions of milk over the course of a typical year.

• Missouri has 29 plants that process one or more dairy products.