U.S. Dairy: Serving the World

Global demand for U.S. dairy products and ingredients continues to rise. The U.S. dairy industry's farm-to-table dedication to quality, consistency and product innovation combines with ample, ever-rising milk supply and in-depth, collaborative customer focus to propel exports to new heights annually.  

Consecutive years of dairy export growth firmly position the United States as the world's leading single-country exporter of whey ingredients, lactose, and skim milk powder. Overall U.S. export gains also showcase the momentum of cheese, whole milk powder and butter exports.  

A decade-plus of continuous gains in U.S. milk production supports U.S. dairy industry customers around the world. This includes the United States, Asia, Latin America and the Middle East and North Africa for products such as fluid milk, cheese, yogurt, ice cream, butter and other dairy products and ingredients.

Indeed, global market demands claim 59% of incremental U.S. milk production growth from 2003 to 2014, with U.S. dairy product shipments to international customers the equivalent of approximately 14.2% of U.S. milk production in 2016, compared to 5.7% of U.S. milk production in 2003. In turn, the U.S. global export share of major dairy product segments - skim milk powder, whole milk powder, cheese, butterfat and whey - reached 16.7% in 2014, up from 11% in 2009.

Steady export growth affirms the U.S. commitment to collaborative partnerships with global customers as well as delivering world-class, nutritious, wholesome dairy products and ingredients that meet rigorous customer requirements for quality and safety. As globalization trends continue to expand food and beverage industry manufacturing operations into multi-national holdings, the U.S. dairy industry's product portfolio scope combines with its status as the largest single-country cow's milk producer to anchor its ability to serve high-quality U.S. dairy products and ingredients to the world.