WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) is set to begin data collection efforts for the quarterly Milk Production survey. The information collected in this survey allows NASS to accurately measure and report conditions and trends in the U.S. milk industry over the course of the year.
This survey conducted every January, April, July, and October, asks milk producers to provide the number of milk cows in the herd, number of cows milked and total milk production for the first day of the month. NASS also collects information about milk consumed on the farm and the amount fed to calves.
“The dairy industry relies on the Milk Production reports to make decisions about the marketing of milk,” said NASS Livestock Branch Chief, Travis Averill. “By participating in the survey, milk producers can ensure that NASS provides timely, accurate and useful data that all sectors of the U.S. milk industry use to make sound business decisions.”
To obtain an accurate measurement, NASS will survey roughly 4,500 operators across the country.
“At NASS, we have a strong commitment to respondent confidentiality,” Averill said. “We are required by law to protect the privacy of all responses and publish data only in aggregate form, ensuring that no individual producer or operation can be identified,” he said.
NASS will publish the data on Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2025, in the Milk Production report at nass.usda.gov/publications and in NASS’s searchable database, Quick Stats, at quickstats.nass.usda.gov. For more information, please contact us at 888-424-7828.
