Media contact: Lynsey Mukomel, 517-290-1734

MDARD Launches Interactive Dairy Map for National Dairy Month

LANSING, Mich. – The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) unveiled an interactive artisanal dairy products map today to mark National Dairy Month this June.

“Dairy is a leading sector of Michigan’s agriculture industry and has a significant impact on the state’s economy,” said MDARD Director Tim Boring during a visit to Verdant Hollow Farms in Buchanan earlier today. “National Dairy Month provides a perfect opportunity to celebrate the contributions of dairy farmers and processors to Michigan’s economy and encourage dairy consumption to promote healthy eating habits.”

Since 1939, National Dairy Month has encouraged families to celebrate milk as their beverage of choice based on its nutritional value. As part of this year’s Dairy Month celebration, MDARD created the virtual Michigan artisanal cheese, milk, and ice cream map to help consumers find delicious, locally produced specialty products throughout the state. The map features 11 Michigan dairy farms and processors from across the state specializing in small batch production of dairy cow and dairy goat products.

Michigan’s robust dairy industry includes nearly 850 dairy family farms and over 444,000 cows, which produce enough milk to supply our entire state while meeting increased consumer demand nationally. From milk and cheese to yogurt, ice cream, and more, dairy farmers provide consumers with an abundant selection of healthy, safe and nutritious food.

Michigan dairy businesses use a range of technologies, from large dairy processors with automated ‘robotic’ milking systems to smaller on-farm artisanal cheese makers making cheese in small batches. MDARD is committed to supporting unique, diverse agricultural practices that support farms of all sizes, which in turn helps Michigan’s economy continue to thrive.

For high-resolution photos from Director Boring’s visit to Verdant Hollow Farms, visit MDARD’s Flickr page.

For nutrition information about dairy products, visit USDA’s MyPlate page.

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More Michigan Dairy Facts

• To identify which dairy products are produced in Michigan, look for Michigan’s state code, 26, on the package. Each dairy container is identified by a 5-digit code. The first two numbers are the state code; the last three indicate which processing facility produced the dairy products.
• Michigan’s dairy industry ranks 6th nationally in total pounds of milk produced, with a production of 12.1 billion pounds of milk in 2024.
• Michigan dairy farms produced more than one billion pounds of milk in nine of the last 12 months, as part of an elite group of five other states to hit this mark.
• Michigan milk production averaged 27,580 pounds of milk per cow in 2024, leading the nation.
• There are 138 licensed dairy processing facilities (Grade A, manufacturing, transfer stations and cleaning facilities). In addition to bottling milk into gallon, half gallon, and pint-sized containers, our processors also make cheese, ice cream, yogurt, dry powdered products and infant formula.
• There are a total of 828 Grade A dairy farms and 20 Manufacturing Grade dairy farms in Michigan, for a total of 848 permitted dairy farms.
• Michigan has 327 robotic milking units (automated milking installations) on 70 farms, and 133 pasteurizer units in use statewide.