Milk is a leading segment of Michigan’s agriculture industry, with about 850 dairy farms located throughout the state. From gallons of milk to artisan cheese and creamy yogurt, many dairy foods in Michigan are made with milk that comes from right here in the state. And it’s fresh! Milk travels from farm to processor to store within about 48 hours.
Did You Know Most of the Fresh, Wholesome Milk You Buy in Michigan Comes From Michigan?
How Do I Know if My Milk is Local?
Each container is identified by a 5-digit code.
Look for Michigan’s state code: 26!
There are over 100 dairy processing plants in Michigan. In addition to bottling milk into gallon, half gallon, and pint-size containers, they also process cheese, ice cream, yogurt, dry powdered products, and infant formula.
Dairy as Part of a Sustainable Diet
A world without dairy is less sustainable than you may think. Dairy is a unique source of multiple nutrients that make it very difficult to replace in one’s diet. A 2020 study from Virginia Tech and the USDA found that if all dairy cows disappeared from the U.S., greenhouse gas emissions would only be reduced by about 0.7%. However, public access to various essential nutrients would be significantly impacted.
Working Toward a Better Future for All of Us
For dairy farmers, sustainability means preserving the land and environment so their families can continue to work there for generations. Learn more about the progress dairy farmers are making toward these goals.
Dairy Sustainability & Cow Care Fun Facts
How Michigan Dairy Farmers are Making a Difference
Sustainability
U.S. dairy farmers in 2017 used 30% less water and 21% less land than they did in 2007.
That’s 63% less carbon emissions, 65% less water, and 90% less land than in 1944!
U.S. Dairy accounts for less than 2% of GHG emissions, and the U.S. dairy community has committed to GHG neutrality by 2050 or sooner.
Michigan’s dairy farmers are innovative recyclers, feeding cows byproducts from other industries that would otherwise be sent to a landfill.
On some farms, manure can be converted into electricity and renewable natural gas to heat and power facilities.
Cow Care
Healthy, comfy cows produce more high-quality milk, so cow well-being is a farmer’s top priority.
Comfortable cows produce more milk, and Michigan is ranked first in milk production per cow – at 15% above the national average!
Did you know dairy cows only spend around 15-21 minutes/day being milked? They spend the rest of the day resting, eating, socializing, walking, etc.