LUBBOCK, TX – U.S. milk production increased in August as a larger dairy herd added more volume to the market even though output per cow changed little. USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service reports production in the 24 major states reached 19.2 billion pounds, up 1.8% from August 2025.
Milk production per cow in those states averaged 2,070 pounds, just 4 pounds above a year earlier. The dairy herd totaled 9.264 million cows, up 151,000 head from August 2025 and 15,000 from July.
Nationally, August milk production reached 19.9 billion pounds, up 1.7%. U.S. production per cow averaged 2,049 pounds, down 1 pound from a year earlier, while the national herd increased by 167,000 cows.
Kansas posted the strongest gain among the 24 states, up 13.9%. South Dakota rose 8.4%, Oregon 7.7%, and Texas increased 5.1% as its dairy herd grew to 729,000 cows.
The next reports will show whether herd expansion continues to outpace productivity gains. Additional milk supplies could add market pressure if domestic and export demand fail to keep pace.
Farm-Level Takeaway: A larger dairy herd is driving milk production growth even as per-cow output remains nearly flat.