During June Dairy Month, Dairy Together, a national coalition working to educate farmers, eaters, and lawmakers about how managed growth based on market demand can create a viable dairy economy, is calling on Congress to pass policies and make new investments that meet the moment of the dairy farm crisis, and preserve opportunities for small and mid-sized family dairy farms to succeed.
June 1 marks the start of June Dairy Month around the country. It’s a month-long celebration of dairy farming traditions and innovations, the farmers that work tirelessly year-round, and the delicious dairy products that our nation produces. June Dairy Month was founded in 1937, originally known as National Milk Month. For almost 90 years, June has been a time to recognize the heritage of dairy farming that defines so many of our rural communities.
Over that time, thousands of family dairy farms around the country have closed due to government policies and industry practices that favor mass production of commodities over family farm viability and rural livability. High volumes of milk on the market have contributed to years of depressed and volatile milk prices, which continue to erode the quality of life of family dairy farmers. While average farm size has grown since 1937, the number of licensed U.S. dairy herds decreased. In 2004 there were 66,824 dairy herds in the United States. In 2024, there were just 24,811. That’s a 63% decrease in just 20 years. Dairy farmers need our help.
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