10 Facts You May Not Know About the Dairy Industry

Dairy farmers are some of the hardest working people in our country. Tirelessly dedicating each long day to their cattle and to producing milk for consumers. Now is an even more important time to thank these farmers for what they do as June is National Dairy Month! Below is a list of 10 fun facts about the dairy industry, dairy cattle, and IL dairy farms.

The IL dairy industry contributed around $29.14 billion in economic impact in 2021
Top 5 counties for number of dairy cows in Illinois (as Jan 1, 2022):

Clinton – 11,800
Stephenson – 10,600
Washington – 6,400
Jo Daviess – 4,100
McLean – 4,000

3. Dairy foods across the country contribute 3.5% of the U.S. gross domestic product

4. As of 2019, the U.S. is producing 60% more milk from 30% fewer cows than 50 years ago, in other words, each cow is producing over 2.5 times as much milk

5. The U.S. dairy industry has decreased water use by 65+% over the past decades.

6. A lactating dairy cow consumers 30-50 gallons of water a day, along with 110-120 pounds of wet feed or 50-55 pounds of dry matter.

7. IL dairies led to 117,100 jobs in 2021

8. Dairy cattle have a visual field of almost 360° but have trouble seeing things from head on. Also, dairy cattle cannot see the color red as they lack the red retina receptor.

9. The greatest amount of milk produced by a dairy cow in the U.S. in one year was 59,298 pounds by a Holstein names Robthom Sue Paddy. To put this in perspective lactating cows produce an average of 23,948 pounds every year.

10. 94% of dairy farms in the U.S. are family owned and operated

< Older Post

Newer Post >

The sun is setting behind the capitol building in washington d.c.

Budget Reconciliation Bill Passes Congress

By Lyndi Allen • July 3, 2025

Illinois corn farmers will be impacted by many provisions in the Budget Reconciliation Bill that passed in both chambers this week.

Importance of Trade Series: Ethanol

By Lyndi Allen • July 3, 2025

Trade plays a critical role in driving demand for U.S. corn—not only as grain or feed, but also as fuel.

Corn: More American Than Apple Pie

By Lindsay Croke • June 30, 2025

When we think of Independence Day traditions, sweet corn on the cob is as iconic as fireworks and often even more central to the celebration. According to Instacart, purchases of sweet corn surge by 380% over the annual average heading into July 4th, outranking other grilling staples like baby back ribs and burgers. But corn's role in your Fourth of July celebration goes far beyond your plate. In Illinois alone, 8,300 acres of sweet corn are harvested annually, averaging 155 cwt per acre. That’s more than 128 million pounds of locally grown sweetness fueling summer cookouts across the state. And while sweet corn makes a big impression on the grill, most of Illinois’ corn crop isn’t sweet corn - it’s field corn. Less than 1% of the state’s crop is sweet corn, while the rest is used in products that are often invisible to consumers but vital to everyday life: fuel, packaging, fireworks, and even spirits.