SD, MN, ND Milk Production Totals

Milk production in the 24 major dairy states totaled 17.5 billion pounds in September, up 0.2 percent from a year ago. South Dakota milk production is up nearly eight percent. Minnesota’s milk output is down two percent. In the past year, South Dakota dairies added 16,000 cows and Minnesota milk cow numbers declined by 9,000 head. In the past quarter, North Dakota averaged 9,500 head of dairy cows. Those numbers will change soon with Riverview Dairy planning to build a 25,000 cow dairy farm near Hillsboro and a 12,500 head dairy farm north of Wahpeton.