Abstract

From 2004 to 2014, the value of U.S. dairy product exports more than quadrupled, 

and the United States became the world’s third-largest dairy product exporter, behind 

New Zealand and the European Union (EU). This export status was a significant 

change for an industry previously focused primarily on domestic rather than international demand. Demand for dairy products increased with soaring income growth in 

developing countries. Moreover, policies of the United States and its trading partners 

became more market-oriented, allowing trade that responds more to market forces. As 

the United States became more of a global dairy-market player, the U.S. dairy market 

faced greater variability in demand and prices. In 2015, as global conditions changed, 

the value of U.S. dairy exports fell by almost 30 percent. The United States, as both 

a top producer and exporter, has a pivotal role to play, but will have to compete with 

other large dairy exporters such as New Zealand, the EU, and Australia to increase 

export market share in the future.

Keywords: Dairy, dairy exports, dairy policy, dairy trade, dairy products, agricultural 

trade, world trade organization, WTO, free trade agreement, FTA

Acknowledgments

The authors thank the following technical peer reviewers for their comments and 

insight: Shawn Arita (USDA/ERS), Uthra Raghunathan (USDA/AMS), Paul Kiendl 

(USDA/FAS), Sharon Sydow (USDA/OCE), and Cameron Thraen (The Ohio State 

University). This report was reviewed and cleared by Shayle Shagam of USDA’s 

World Agricultural Outlook Board. Thanks also to ERS editors Mark Farrell and Dale 

Simms and to ERS designer Curtia Taylor.

Jerry Cessna, Lindsay Kuberka (USDA/FAS), 

Christopher G. Davis, Roger Hoskin

Growth of U.S. Dairy Exports

Approved by USDA’s 

World Agricultural 

Outlook Board

United States

Department

of Agriculture

www.ers.usda.gov

A Report from the Economic Research Service

LDPM-270-01

November 2016
Contents

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Background . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

Dairy Products Traded Internationally . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

Overview of Changing Global Demand for Dairy Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Profile of U.S. Dairy Product Exports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

The World Trade Organization and Dairy Trade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Price Relationships and Effects of Exchange Rates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Changes in U.S. Dairy Policy Affecting Exports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

U.S. Price Support for Dairy Products. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

U.S. Dairy Export Subsidies. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Milk Income Loss Contract Program. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

U.S. Dairy Export Council. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Margin Protection Program for Dairy Producers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Dairy Product Donation Program. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Profiles of Major Dairy Exporting Countries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

European Union. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

New Zealand. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Australia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Principle Markets for U.S. Dairy Product Exports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Mexico. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Canada. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

China. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

South Korea. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Japan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

The Philippines. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44

Other Southeast Asia countries. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

Conclusion and Prospects for Future Growth of Exports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Appendix A. Value of Dairy Exports and Imports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

Appendix B. Discussion of Domestic and International Standards for Milk Powders . . . . . . 56

Appendix C. Discussion of Milk Protein Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57
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Introduction

Despite being one of the top milk-producing countries and home to an extensive milk-processing 

sector, historically, the United States did not play a major role in international dairy trade. Exports 

accounted for a minor share of milk use as the U.S. dairy industry focused primarily on domestic 

rather than international markets. In the early 2000s, the situation began to change, and adjusted for 

inflation, U.S. dairy product exports grew from just under $1.6 billion in 2004 to almost $6.8 billion 

in 2014, more than a fourfold increase (values in 2015 dollars).1 This far exceeds the overall inflation-adjusted growth rate in total U.S. agricultural exports, which rose from $76.7 billion in 2004 to 

$150.2 billion in 2014, almost a twofold increase (values in 2015 dollars).2

There are several reasons for the rapid increase in U.S. dairy product exports. Income growth in East 

Asia, Southeast Asia, Latin America, and other regions led to an increase in dairy product consumption facilitated by rising imports. Free trade agreements (FTAs) have provided the United States 

with greater access to world markets, especially to Mexico, through the North American Free Trade 

Agreement (NAFTA). China’s market-based reforms, including those related to its accession to the 

World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2001, opened what is now one of the world’s largest markets 

for dairy product imports. Both the European Union (EU) and the United States have reduced 

domestic support and export subsidies for dairy products in recent years, bringing about greater 

openness of world markets.

Since 2003, prices of U.S. domestic dairy products and export prices in Oceania (Australia and New 

Zealand) and the EU have tended to converge and become more correlated, reflecting changes in 

government policies. The improved price competitiveness of U.S. dairy products, greater market 

access, reductions in U.S. and EU support measures, and growing world demand have led to rapid 

growth in U.S. dairy product exports.

However, as global conditions changed in 2015, the value of U.S. dairy exports fell to $4.9 billion, 

a 28-percent decrease from 2014. Proportionally, the fall in dairy exports in 2015 was greater than 

the 11-percent decrease in total agricultural exports, which totaled $133 billion in 2015. There are 

several reasons why dairy exports fell substantially in 2015, including weaker or slower growth in 

global demand for dairy products (especially from China), a Russian ban on dairy imports from 

several countries, a strong U.S. dollar, and the discontinuation of milk supply quotas in the EU.

This report provides an overview of current markets for U.S. dairy product trade and explores conditions in competing countries. The report also discusses how trends in global supply and demand, as 

well as changes in trade and domestic policies, could affect future growth in U.S. dairy trade. Rising 

demand in developing countries provides major opportunities for continued export growth. However, 

this growth is dependent on the ability of U.S. dairy producers to remain competitive with other 

major dairy exporters.

1 See Appendix A, Value of Dairy Exports and Imports, for an explanation of how dairy products are valued in this 

report.

2 The source for total U.S. agricultural exports is Foreign Agricultural Trade of the United States (FATUS) values from 

USDA Foreign Agricultural Service, Global Agricultural Trade System (GATS) Online. The primary source for GATS 

data is the U.S. Census Bureau Trade Data.
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Background

The United States’ role in global dairy trade has historically been as a residual supplier and net 

importer of dairy products. Although the United States occasionally supplied substantial volumes 

of dairy products to the international market, the EU and Oceania had long dominated commercial 

dairy product exports. The EU was historically the world’s top dairy producer and exporter, but a 

large proportion of EU exports were subsidized. Low production costs and relatively low domestic 

consumption positioned New Zealand and Australia as top dairy exporters. 

In the mid and late 1990s, establishment of the WTO and the associated Uruguay Round Agreement 

on Agriculture (URAA) provided more liberalized global trade through greater market access, 

reduced government support, and reduced export subsidies. Since the late 1990s, FTAs, most notably 

with Mexico under NAFTA, have enhanced U.S. dairy trade. In the 2000s, budgetary pressures in 

the EU led to declining domestic support and export subsidies for dairy products. With the reduction in government support, EU exports declined, and growth in EU milk production slowed. At 

the same time, New Zealand experienced rising costs of production due to increasing prices of land 

and labor. Years of drought hampered growth in Australia’s milk production. U.S. support-price 

purchases and export subsidies for dairy products fell substantially in the 2000s, and the Dairy 

Product Price Support Program (DPPSP) and the Dairy Export Incentive Program (DEIP) were 

repealed with the Agricultural Act of 2014 (2014 Farm Act). Over the years, the National Dairy 

Promotion and Research Program increased funding for the U.S. Dairy Export Council. These 

conditions, along with an increase in dairy demand from developing countries, allowed the U.S. 

dairy industry to become more competitive in world markets.
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Dairy Products Traded Internationally

Nonfat dry milk and skim milk powder: Nonfat dry milk is manufactured by removing water 

from skim milk, usually through a spray drying process. Skim milk powder is a very similar 

product, but the protein content may be adjusted to a standard percentage. In this report, the abbreviation SMP refers to both skim milk powder and nonfat dry milk, collectively. When specifically 

referring to either skim milk powder or nonfat dry milk, the terms are spelled out in this report.3

Milk powder is traded internationally at higher volumes than liquid milk products, since liquid products are bulky and often perishable, making them costly to ship and store. Due to U.S. consumption patterns, frequent surpluses of skim milk solids are manufactured into SMP. Rising demand 

for skim milk solids from foreign countries helps to balance skim solids utilization of the U.S. 

milk supply. SMP is usually the leading export dairy product for the United States in terms of both 

volume and value.

In low-income countries, where infrastructure is poor and refrigeration is scarce, consumers 

commonly reconstitute SMP for personal consumption. SMP may be instantized in order to increase 

the rate of powder dispersal and dissolution when water is added to reconstitute the powder into 

liquid form. Recombined milk can be made from SMP and butterfat or vegetable oil. SMP is used as 

an ingredient in many food products such as fluid milk fortification, frozen desserts, cheese, yogurt, 

and others. SMP may also be used as animal feed or as an ingredient for calf milk replacer.

Dry whole milk and whole milk powder: Dry whole milk is manufactured by removing water 

from whole milk. There are two similar types of powders made from whole milk: dry whole milk 

and whole milk powder. The protein content may be adjusted for the latter but not the former. In this 

report, the abbreviation WMP refers to both whole milk powder and dry whole milk, collectively. 

When specifically referring to either whole milk powder or dry whole milk, the terms are spelled out 

in this report.4

WMP may be reconstituted and processed into ultra-high temperature (UHT) milk, a shelf-stable 

product that does not need refrigeration until the container has been opened. UHT milk is common 

in some countries with scarce domestic milk production, poor transportation infrastructure, or a lack 

of refrigeration. WMP is used as an ingredient in many food products such as confections, bakery 

products, and dairy products. 

The United States produces much more SMP milk than WMP. This contrasts with New Zealand, 

which produces and exports large quantities of WMP. Since New Zealand is heavily reliant on 

the export market, WMP provides an opportunity to export both milk fat and skim milk solids. 

Although the United States is a small supplier compared with New Zealand, U.S. WMP production 

has grown in recent years, from 72 million pounds in 2013 to 109 million pounds in 2015 (USDA, 

National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), 2016). 

3 For more details about nonfat dry milk and skim milk powder, see Appendix B, Discussion of Domestic and International Standards for Milk Powders.

4 For more details about dry whole milk and whole milk powder, see Appendix B, Discussion of Domestic and International Standards for Milk Powders.
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Cheese: A wide variety of natural and processed cheeses is traded internationally. Developed countries are the top destinations for cheese exports, but cheese consumption in developing countries has 

been growing in recent years as incomes have grown. In 2015, cheese was the leading export product 

for the United States by value. However, the United States was a distant second to the European 

Union (EU) in cheese-export value and ranked third behind the EU and New Zealand in cheeseexport quantity.

Infant formula: Infant formula is usually made from milk or whey constituents. Trade data 

do not consistently distinguish infant formula made from milk ingredients from other types of 

infant formula.5 For this report, infant formulas traded in international markets are assumed to 

be dairy products. The European Union was the leading exporter of infant formula in 2015, with 

largest proportions to China and Hong Kong. U.S. exports of infant formula have been small by 

comparison.

Butter and butterfat products: For this report, butter, most dairy spreads, and other fats and oils 

derived from milk are included in the same category. In the United States, standard butter contains 

at least 80 percent milk fat. In many other countries, the standard milk-fat level for butter is 82 

percent. Dairy spreads usually contain substantial proportions of milk fat, but the percentages of 

milk fat are less than butter. Some butterfat products, such as anhydrous milk fat (AMF) or butter 

oil, are composed almost 100 percent of milk fat. AMF is suitable for use as an ingredient in chocolate, confectionery products, ice cream mixes, and cheese processing. In years where the domestic 

butter price is lower than prevailing prices of foreign competitors, the United States exports significant volumes of butter.

Whey products: Fluid whey is a byproduct derived from cheese production. Only small quantities of fluid whey are exported since its water content makes it bulky and expensive to transport. 

Dry whey is produced through a spray drying process. Whey is often fractionated to produce 

whey protein concentrate (WPC), whey protein isolate (WPI), whey permeate, and other modified 

whey products. WPC varies in protein levels, while WPI has protein levels of 90 percent or higher. 

Generally, prices for whey products increase with protein content. Butter and other butterfat products are often made from whey cream that is often separated from the other whey components. 

Whey ingredients are used in many foods for human consumption, such as baked goods, beverages, 

confections, dairy foods, and meat products. They are also often used for animal feed. The United 

States is a leading exporter of whey products.

Casein products6: Casein is the main protein found in milk. It is separated from pasteurized skim 

milk through either a precipitation or a coagulation process. Casein is often further processed into 

caseinate, which is produced by dissolving casein in an alkaline solution of sodium or calcium. It 

is more water soluble than casein, making it more functional for certain food applications. Casein 

products are used as ingredients in a wide variety of foods such as baked goods, cheese products, 

coffee whiteners, confections, and many others. Casein also has nonfood uses, such as casein glue, 

coatings for paper or cardboard, and plastics.

5 For example, U.S. import data make a distinction between infant formulas containing milk solids from other types, 

but U.S. export data do not.

6 Some countries include milk protein isolate as a casein product while others do not. See Appendix C, Discussion of 

Milk Protein Products.
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Casein was produced domestically in the 1940s and 1950s, but little casein is currently manufactured in the United States. Production shifted from casein to nonfat dry milk, since the Government 

purchased nonfat dry milk through the Milk Price Support Program. By the mid-1960s, almost all 

casein was imported (USDA, Economics and Statistics Service, 1981). The United States manufactures significant quantities of caseinate from imported casein, and some of it is exported to other 

countries.

Lactose: Lactose is the primary sugar found in milk, and is usually extracted from whey permeate, 

a byproduct of WPC and WPI. Lactose is a bland sugar, and it is used as an ingredient in foods such 

as infant foods, chemicals/pharmaceuticals, dairy products, prepared dry mixes, and many others. 

It can be added as a constituent in the manufacture of milk powder, in order to lower the protein 

percentage of powder to a specified standard level. The United States is a leading exporter of lactose.

Other dairy products traded internationally: Fluid milk and cream, ice cream, evaporated and 

condensed milk, yogurt, buttermilk and other curdled milk products, and other dairy products have 

relatively low trade volumes for all of the countries included in this report. However, collectively, 

these items make up a substantial share of dairy trade.7

7 Milk protein concentrate (MPC) is a product that is widely traded, but it is difficult to account for the trade internationally. See Appendix C, Discussion of Milk Protein Products. 
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Overview of Changing Global Demand for Dairy Products

Much of the growth in U.S. dairy exports reflects rising demand for dairy products in developing 

countries. Generally, as incomes rise from very low levels, food consumption increases, and higher 

protein products, such as meats and dairy, make up a larger proportion of household food budgets 

while the share of cereal products declines (fig. 1). For countries with per capita incomes less than 

15 percent of the U.S. level (low income), people spent 23.3 percent of their food budgets on cereal 

products in 2005 and 7.8 percent on dairy products. For countries with per capita incomes from 15 

to 45 percent of the U.S. level (middle income), the cereal share falls to 12.4 percent, but the dairy 

share grows to 9.9 percent. 

While consumption of total dairy products increases with income, this relationship does not necessarily hold for each product. Changes in per-capita consumption of WMP, SMP, and cheese for 

selected countries are displayed in figures 2-4.8

Countries with relatively low incomes, Indonesia and China, both had increases in per capita 

consumption of WMP and SMP from 2004 to 2014 (figs. 2, 3). The increase for WMP in China was 

impressive, more than double from 1.5 to 3.1 pounds per capita. For Mexico, substitution between 

SMP and WMP appears likely, as WMP per capita consumption decreased while SMP per capita 

consumption increased. The United States consumes only small quantities of WMP, mostly for the 

confectionery industry. For developed countries, consumption of SMP depends on its price as an 

ingredient compared with that of fresh skim milk and other alternatives. Per capita consumption of 

SMP has declined for Japan and the United States while it has increased for Canada. For cheese, per 

8 The same countries are not displayed in figures 2 through 4. The countries were limited to keep the figures simple 

and to illustrate interesting comparisons and contrasts.

Figure 1

Household food budget shares for countries by per capita income level in 2005

Percent

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

Cereals Meats Fish Dairy Oils 

and fats

Fruits and

vegetables

Food 

other

Beverage

and tobacco

Low-income Middle-income High-income

Low income countries: < 15 percent of U.S. level.

Middle income countries: 15 percent U.S. level <= U.S. level < 45 percent U.S. level.

High income countres: >= 45 percent U.S. level.

Classification is to facilitate analysis and is not based on any generalized accepted criteria.

Data for 144 countries grouped by per real capita income level.

Source: USDA/Economic Research Service calculations, World Bank International Comparison Program.
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capita consumption generally increases as real9 per capita income increases (fig. 4). The Philippines 

is the outlier, with very small per capita consumption that declined slightly. Although Japan has 

higher per capita income than Mexico, per capita cheese consumption is less. This is consistent with 

other East Asian and Southeast Asian countries, where cheese consumption tends to be relatively 

low. China’s per capita cheese consumption would not be discernible from zero on the chart. The 

selected countries with the highest incomes, Canada and the United States, had the highest levels of 

cheese consumption per capita.

Figures 5 through 7 report total consumption of dairy products for the selected countries from 1995 

to 2015. Although China’s WMP per-capita consumption is only a little more than that of Mexico 

9 The word “real” in an economic context means that prices or income values have been adjusted for the general rate of 

inflation.

Figure 2

WMP1 consumption per capita and real GDP per capita, selected countries

Pounds per capita

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

4.5

0 10,000 20,000 30,000 40,000 50,000 60,000

Real GDP per capita, 2010 USD 

2004 2014

1

WMP includes dry whole milk and whole milk powder.

Sources: USDA/Economic Research Service and USDA/Foreign Agricultural Service.

Indonesia

China

Mexico

United States

Figure 3

SMP1 consumption per capita and real GDP per capita, selected countries

1

SMP includes nonfat dry milk and skim milk powder.

Sources: USDA/Foreign Agricultural Service and USDA/Economic Research Service.

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

4.5

5.0

0 10,000 20,000 30,000 40,000 50,000 60,000

Canada

United States Japan

Mexico

China

Indonesia

Philippines

2004 2014 Pounds per capita

Real GDP per capita, 2010 USD 
8

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(fig. 2), total WMP consumption has grown to be much greater due to the much larger population of 

China (fig. 5). Although per capita consumption of SMP for China is much less than that of Mexico 

(fig. 3), Chinese total consumption of SMP exceeded that of Mexico in 2013 and 2014; however, 

it fell below Mexico in 2015 (fig. 6). While the United States has the highest total consumption of 

SMP for the selected countries, the long-term trends suggest that SMP use in China and Mexico 

could equal that of the United States in a few years. For total cheese consumption, the United States 

far exceeds any of the selected countries (fig. 7). Mexico’s cheese consumption has grown to be 

nearly equal to that of Canada in 2015, while the total cheese consumption of Japan has been less 

than that of Mexico since 2008.

Figure 4

Cheese consumption per capita and real GDP per capita, selected countries

Sources: USDA/Foreign Agricultural Service and USDA/Economic Research Service.

Real GDP per capita, 2010 USD 

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

0 10,000 20,000 30,000 40,000 50,000 60,000

Pounds per capita

Philippines

Mexico

Japan

Canada

2004 2014 United States

Figure 5

WMP1 consumption

1

WMP includes dry whole milk and whole milk powder.

Source: USDA/Foreign Agricultural Service.

0

1,500

3,000

4,500

China Indonesia Mexico United States

1995 96 97 98 99 2000 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15

Millions of pounds
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Figure 6

SMP1 consumption

1

SMP includes nonfat dry milk and skim milk powder.

Sources: USDA/Foreign Agricultural Service.

0

400

800

1,200

1,600

Canada China Mexico Philippines United States

1995 96 97 98 99 2000 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15

Millions of pounds

Figure 7

Cheese consumption

Source: USDA/Foreign Agricultural Service.

0

2,000

4,000

6,000

8,000

10,000

12,000

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

Millions of pounds Millions of pounds

left axis right axis

Canada Japan Mexico Philippines United States

1995 96 97 98 99 2000 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15
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Profile of U.S. Dairy Product Exports 

Growth in the value of U.S. dairy product exports more than tripled from 2004 to 2015, from more 

than $1.6 billion in 2004 (valued in 2015 U.S. dollars) to almost $4.9 billion in 2015 (Table 1). 

Mexico has consistently been the leading export destination for the United States, and the growth 

in the value of U.S. dairy exports to Mexico was the greatest of any major export destination, an 

increase of $787 million from 2004 to 2015. Canada was the second-leading destination for U.S. 

exports in 2015, with an increase of $208 million from 2004 to 2015.10 Notably, the increases in 

dairy exports to China and South Korea were very large, each growing by about sixfold. Dairy 

exports to Japan and the Philippines also increased significantly, by $150 million and $165 million, 

respectively.

While increasing demand from foreign countries has been very important in the growth of U.S. 

dairy exports, structural changes in domestic supply conditions have also played an important role. 

From 2004 to 2015, U.S. milk production grew from 170.8 billion pounds to 208.6 billion pounds. 

Much of this growth was generated by yield-per-cow gains from 18,960 pounds in 2004 to 22,393 

pounds in 2015. Improved genetics, feed rations, and management practices have contributed to 

improved yields. In addition, as dairy farms have consolidated, they have become more efficient. In 

2002, the midpoint herd size in the United States was 275 milk cows.11 By 2012, the midpoint herd 

size had grown to 900 milk cows. The shift to larger farms is highly associated with a decrease in 

the cost of milk production. According to data from the USDA Agricultural Resource Management 

Survey, in 2010, U.S. herds with 200-499 head had total costs per hundredweight (cwt) of milk 

that were more than 1.3 times higher than herds with 1,000-1,999 head (MacDonald, Cessna, and 

Mosheim, 2016). 

While the United States produces and exports a large variety of dairy products, four product categories—cheese, SMP, whey products, and lactose—accounted for about 80 percent of the total value 

of dairy exports in 2015. In terms of value, cheese was the top export product for the United States 

in 2015, growing from $248 million in 2004 (valued in 2015 dollars) to $1.388 billion in 2015. SMP 

was a close second, growing from an export value of $559 million (valued in 2015 dollars) to $1.386 

billion in 2015. Whey products ranked third, with an export value in 2015 about 3.5 times higher 

than 2004. The United States was also a leading exporter of lactose, and 2015 lactose exports were 

more than double the 2004 value. Other products, such as butterfat products, infant formula, milk 

protein concentrate, ice cream, milk powders other than SMP, and other dairy products made up 

small but collectively substantial volumes. 

Dairy manufacturers separate and reassemble milk components to produce a wide array of diverse 

products. To analyze aggregate dynamics of domestic and foreign demand for U.S. milk products, 

the products are often converted to a common milk equivalent. For example, based on the milkfat content of typical U.S. cow’s milk, it takes a relatively large amount of milk (21.8 pounds) to 

produce 1 pound of butter, but butter contains only a small amount of skim solids12 (the equivalent 

10 For 2015, Canada ranked as the second-highest import destination, ahead of China, using U.S. export data. However, 

using import data from the U.S. trading partners, China ranked second, ahead of Canada. See Appendix A, “Value of 

Dairy Exports and Imports,” for an explanation of why export values do not equal corresponding import values of trading 

partners. 

11 Half of all cows are in herds larger than the midpoint, and half are in smaller herds.

12 Skim solids include protein, lactose, and minerals found in milk.
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of 0.12 pounds of milk) (USDA/Economic Research Service, 1992). Therefore, the milk equivalent 

of butter is much higher on a milk-fat basis than a skim-solids basis. By contrast, 1 pound of nonfat 

dry milk requires a large amount of skim solids (the equivalent of 11.6 pounds of milk) but very 

little milk fat (the equivalent of only 0.22 pounds of milk). 

Figure 8 shows total U.S. commercial exports since 1995 on both a skim-solids milk-equivalent 

basis and a milk-fat milk-equivalent basis. From 1995 to 2003, dairy product exports averaged 2.2 

billion pounds per year on a milk-fat basis and 1.4 percent of total milk production. Since 2003, 

milk-fat basis exports have grown, reaching 12.4 billion pounds (6.0 percent of milk production) in 

2014, but then falling to 8.8 billion pounds (4.2 percent of milk production) in 2015. Skim-solids 

basis exports have grown more, increasing from 5.2 billion pounds (3.4 percent of milk production) 

in 1995 to 39.0 billion pounds (18.9 percent of milk production) in 2014, before falling to 37.3 billion 

pounds (17.9 percent of milk production) in 2015.

Table 1

U.S. dairy product export values by trading partner and product, 2015 and 2004, in millions 

of constant U.S. 2015 dollars

2015

Trading Partner Cheese SMP1

Whey 

products Lactose

Other 

dairy 

products

Value per 

partner

Percent 

per 

partner

Mexico 379.6 570.7 56.9 26.8 192.2 1,226.2 25.0

Canada 69.5 5.9 125.3 7.4 228.3 436.4 8.9

China 53.5 70.9 196.5 54.2 57.8 432.9 8.8

Korea, South 237.8 13.1 27.5 10.8 14.6 303.9 6.2

Japan 162.7 11.8 58.9 27.8 11.2 272.4 5.6

Philippines 23.0 165.2 38.0 9.3 10.4 245.8 5.0

Rest of world 461.9 548.1 307.3 179.2 482.0 1,978.5 40.4

Value per product 1,388.0 1,385.6 810.5 315.5 996.5 4,895.9 100.0

Percent per product 28.3 28.3 16.6 6.4 20.4 100.0

2004

Trading Partner Cheese SMP1

Whey 

products Lactose

Other 

dairy 

products

Value per 

partner

Percent 

per 

partner

Mexico 81.3 217.2 37.7 12.1 91.0 439.3 27.7

Canada 31.5 6.2 50.8 12.7 127.0 228.1 14.4

China 0.6 10.2 41.3 16.3 4.8 73.2 4.6

Korea, South 20.4 5.1 10.5 4.6 6.7 47.4 3.0

Japan 33.6 3.4 26.5 36.4 22.0 121.9 7.7

Philippines 7.6 56.0 9.6 7.2 1.0 81.3 5.1

Rest of world 72.9 261.0 57.9 43.1 160.5 595.5 37.5

Value per product 247.8 559.1 234.4 132.5 413.0 1,586.8 100.0

Percent per product 15.6 35.2 14.8 8.3 26.0 100.0

1SMP includes nonfat dry milk and skim milk powder.

Totals may not add precisely due to rounding.

Source: Global Trade Atlas.
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The increase in skim-solids basis exports from 1995 to 2015 largely reflects the increase in exports 

of SMP, whey products, and lactose—products containing relatively high levels of skim solids and 

lower amounts of milk fat. Exports of products with relatively high milk fat, such as butter and 

most food preparations containing dairy ingredients, have had less growth. The increase in exports 

of skim solids complement trends in the domestic market, since the U.S. consumption of products 

with relatively high milk-fat content have grown at a faster pace than products with relatively high 

skim-solids content (Cessna and Kuberka, 2015). For example, U.S. butter consumption rose from 

4.6 pounds per person in 1995 to more than 5.6 pounds in 2015, an increase equivalent to about 22 

pounds of milk per person on a milk-fat basis. Over the same period, consumption of beverage fluid 

milk, a product usually containing a relatively low ratio of milk fat to skim-milk solids,13 declined 

from 205 pounds per person per year to 155 pounds. 

In 2015, U.S. dairy exports declined for several reasons: 

• Global demand for dairy products was relatively weak, especially from China.

• Since August 2014, Russia has banned imports of most dairy products from the United States, 

the European Union (EU), Canada, Australia, and Norway. Although the United States is not 

a major supplier for Russia, the ban caused the EU to export to alternative markets in competition with the United States. Russian dairy imports declined due to the ban and recession in the 

country, contributing to lower global dairy prices (see box, “Russian Trade Ban”).

• The value of the U.S. dollar was strong relative to other currencies, causing U.S. exports to be 

less attractive.

• In April 2015, the EU discontinued its milk supply quotas. EU dairy farmers thereafter 

increased their level of milk production, boosting their exports and crowding out dairy product 

imports from the United States. 

13 In the United States, raw milk, as it comes from the cow, usually has about 3.7 percent milk fat. Retail fluid milk 

typically has less milk fat. The most commonly consumed type of beverage fluid milk is reduced-fat milk, which has 

about 2 percent milk fat. Even whole milk sold to consumers usually has had some milk fat removed, with a typical milkfat content of 3.25 percent.

Sources: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA Farm Service Agency, USDA Foreign Agriculture Service, U.S. 

Department of Commerce Bureau of the Census, California Department of Food and Agriculture, USDA Economic Research 

Service calculations. Numerous sources were used for conversion factors. See the workbook “Trade data conversion factors 

and sources” at http://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/dairy-data.aspx. 

Figure 8

U.S. commercial exports of milk in all products, milk equivalent bases

1995 96 97 98 99 2000 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15

0

15

30

45

Billions of pounds

Milk-fat basis Skim-solids basis

1995 skim-solids basis: 

3.4 % of U.S. milk production

1995 milk-fat basis:

2.0 % of U.S. milk production

2015 milk-fat basis:

4.2 % of U.S. milk production

2015 skim-solids basis:

17.9 % of U.S. milk production
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The 2015 decline in U.S. dairy exports contributed to a substantial fall in milk prices received by 

dairy farmers. The all-milk price fell from a record high of $24.00 per cwt in 2014 to $17.10 per cwt 

in 2015 (USDA NASS, 2016), a 29-percent fall.

Over the years, relationships between U.S. imports and exports have changed significantly by value 

and by quantity on both a milk-fat basis and a skim-solids basis. By value, the United States was 

a net importer of dairy products until 2007 (fig. 9). Since then, the United States has been a net 

exporter of dairy products, with the exception of 2009, when the value of imports and exports was 

Russian Trade Ban

On August 6, 2014, Russian President Vladimir Putin issued an immediate ban on certain agricultural products from the United States, Canada, the European Union, Australia, and Norway. 

The ban included beef, pork, poultry, fruits, vegetables, fish, seafood, dairy products, and a 

variety of other products. The ban has been extended and is currently scheduled to continue 

through the end of 2017 (USDA FAS 2014e and 2016d).

U.S. dairy exports to Russia were very small even before the ban. U.S. dairy exports to Russia 

fell from $7.2 million in 2013 to $1.4 million in 2015 (GTA, 2016).1 While the Russian dairy 

market has been small for the United States, it was a large market for the EU before the ban. 

EU dairy exports to Russia fell from $2.0 billion in 2013 to less than $0.2 billion in 2015. In 

2013, the value of EU dairy exports to Russia was 11.6 percent of total EU dairy exports. The 

percentage fell to 6.5 percent in 2014 before falling to 1.1 percent in 2015.

Russia’s dairy imports have fallen from $4.6 billion in 2013 to $2.1 billion in 2015. The decline 

is generally attributed to both the trade ban and a recession in Russia. After rising by 1.3 percent 

in 2013 and 0.7 percent in 2014, Russia’s GDP fell by 3.7 percent in 2015 (World Bank, 2016, 

adjusted for inflation in Russian currency). 

Cheese makes up a large proportion of Russia’s dairy product imports. EU cheese exports to 

Russia fell from 566 million pounds in 2013 to 10 million pounds in 2015. Russia’s imports 

increased from some countries not included in the ban. In particular, Russian cheese imports 

from Belarus increased from 244 million pounds in 2013 to 369 million pounds in 2015. 

However, the increase in imports from other countries was not enough to make up for the loss 

of imports from the EU. Overall, Russian cheese imports fell from 971 million pounds in 2013 

to 458 million pounds in 2015.

Although New Zealand was not included in the ban, Russian imports from New Zealand have 

not increased since the ban. In fact, Russia’s dairy imports from New Zealand decreased from 

$139 million in 2013 to $44 million in 2015. New Zealand has not been a significant exporter of 

cheese to Russia, and Russian cheese imports from New Zealand were zero in 2014 and 2015.

With the loss of Russia as a trading partner for most dairy products and the increase in EU milk 

production, Europeans have become more competitive in other global markets. For example, 

while U.S. dairy exports to China fell by $243.9 million from 2014 to 2015, EU exports to China 

grew by $263 million. While U.S. dairy exports to Mexico fell by $360.4 million from 2014 to 

2015, EU exports to Mexico rose by $1.5 million. 

1 Countries included in the ban continue to export small quantities of dairy products to Russia. While the ban 

includes most major dairy products, it does not include certain lactose-free products, lactose, infant formula, ice 

cream, casein, caseinate, or milk albumin (USDA FAS 2014e and 2016d).
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about the same. By 2014, the value of dairy exports had grown to $6.8 billion while the value of 

dairy imports was $2.8 billion. In 2015, the value of dairy exports fell to $4.9 billion while the value 

of dairy imports remained at $2.8 billion. 

On a milk-fat basis, imports trended upward, reaching a peak of 7.5 billion pounds in 2006, and then 

falling to about 4 billion pounds from 2011 to 2014 (fig. 10). After 2006, milk-fat basis commercial 

exports showed significant growth, with the exceptions of 2009 and 2012. In 2014, milk-fat basis 

exports (12.4 billion pounds) were almost 3 times more than milk-fat basis imports. In 2015, milk-fat 

basis exports fell to 8.8 billion pounds, and imports rose to 5.7 billion pounds. 

On a skim-solids basis, the United States has consistently been a net exporter, but the difference 

between commercial exports and imports has grown substantially (fig. 11). In 2014, skim-solids 

basis exports (39.0 billion pounds) were almost 7 times more than skim-solids basis imports (5.6 

billion pounds). In 2015, skim-solids basis exports fell to 37.3 billion pounds while skim-solids basis 

imports rose to 6.0 billion pounds.

Sources: Global Trade Atlas, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Figure 9

U.S. dairy import and export values

1995 96 97 98 99 2000 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15

Constant 2015 U.S. dollars in billions

0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

7.0

Imports Exports

Sources: USDA/National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA Farm Service Agency, USDA/Foreign Agriculture Service, U.S. 

Department of Commerce Bureau of the Census, California Department of Food and Agriculture, USDA/Economic Research 

Service calculations. Numerous sources were used for conversion factors. See the workbook, “Trade data conversion factors 

and sources” at http://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/dairy-data.aspx. 

Figure 10

U.S. imports and commercial exports of milk in all products on a milk-fat milk-equivalent basis

Billions of pounds

1995 96 97 98 99 2000 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15

Imports Exports

0.0

2.0

4.0

6.0

8.0

10.0

12.0

14.0
15

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Sources: USDA/National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA/Farm Service Agency, USDA/Foreign Agriculture Service, U.S. 

Department of Commerce Bureau of the Census, California Department of Food and Agriculture, USDA/Economic Research 

Service calculations. Numerous sources were used for conversion factors. See the workbook “Trade data conversion factors 

and sources” at http://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/dairy-data.aspx. 

Figure 11

U.S. imports and commercial exports of milk in all products on a skim-solids 

milk-equivalent basis

Billions of pounds

1995 96 97 98 99 2000 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15

Imports Exports

0.0

10.0

20.0

30.0

40.0
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The World Trade Organization and Dairy Trade

Following a series of multilateral trade negotiations known as the Uruguay Round,14 the World 

Trade Organization (WTO) was established, effective January 1, 1995. The WTO was charged with 

administering rules for trade among member countries. The rules pertaining to agricultural market 

access and subsidies are known as the Uruguay Round Agreement on Agriculture. According to a 

2001 ERS report: 

The Uruguay Round of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) concluded in 

1994 with an agreement that fundamentally changed the treatment of national agricultural 

policies under the multilateral rules of global trade. In the Uruguay Round Agreement on 

Agriculture (URAA, or the Agreement), members determined that trade-distorting policies are to be disciplined, or constrained, so that agricultural markets can be increasingly 

directed by market forces rather than government intervention (Burfisher, 2001). 

Implementation of the agreement was phased in over a 6-year period ending in 2000/2001 for developed countries and over a 10-year period ending in 2004/2005 for developing countries. While 

the changes were limited, leaving many protections in place, they provided some impetus for the 

increase in global dairy trade in the years to follow.

Under the URAA, member countries, including the United States, converted non-tariff trade barriers 

to tariff rate quotas (TRQs). A TRQ is a two-tiered tariff (tax) where a lower (in-quota) tariff is 

charged on imports within a quota volume, while a higher (over-quota) tariff is charged on imports 

in excess of the quota volume. Market access was expanded for member countries through both 

higher in-quota quantities allowed and lower tariffs. TRQ commitments for selected dairy products 

implemented under the URAA have been aggregated for selected regions in table 2.

15 Countries 

14 The Uruguay Round was launched in Punta del Este, Uruguay, in September 1986.

15 Detailed commitment information under the Uruguay Round by country is complicated and beyond the scope of this 

report.

Table 2

Tariff rate quota quantities for major dairy products under Uruguay Round commitments 

for selected regions (millions of pounds)

Milk powder, condensed/

evaporated milk 

(HS 0402)

Butter and butter oil 

(HS 0405)

Cheese 

(HS 0406)

Region Initial TRQ Final TRQ Initial TRQ Final TRQ Initial TRQ Final TRQ

Western Europe 93.2 156.4 174.8 200.7 81.1 270.7

Central and Eastern 

Europe 11.3 14.6 27.7 46.0 15.3 19.4

North America 273.7 291.3 4.3 7.2 334.6 378.7

Southeast Asia 99.2 121.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

East Asia 209.8 210.4 4.7 5.1 0.0 0.0

Oceania 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 25.4 25.4

Access opportunities conferred through aggregate tariff rate quotas which do not provide for a breakdown into the product 

categories of this table are not included.

Source: General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, Summary of the Results of the Uruguay Round in the Dairy Sector.
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agreed to lower dairy tariffs by specific percentages. For example, the United States agreed to lower 

over-quota tariffs by 15 percent on most dairy products while the EU agreed to lower over-quota 

tariffs by 36 percent for butter, 20 percent for SMP, and 36 percent for cheese (Secretariat, General 

Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), 1994). Although the percentage reductions for the EU 

were more than for the United States, the levels of dairy-product tariffs for the EU remain higher 

than for the United States. Based on data from 2013 and 2014, the WTO estimated that the EU Most 

Favored Nation (MFN)16 applied duties for dairy products averaged 42.1 percent on an ad valorem 

equivalent basis,17 while they averaged 17.2 percent for the United States (WTO, 2015b).

Under the URAA, developed countries also agreed to reduce export subsidies gradually, by 21 

percent from the 1986-90 average over a period of 6 years. The URAA also required developed 

countries to reduce their total trade-distorting domestic support, aggregated across all commodities, 

by 20 percent over 6 years, from a 1986–88 base (Secretariat, GATT, 1994). 

The next round of WTO negotiations is known as the Doha Round.18 Over the years, there have been 

several stages of negotiations under the Doha Round. In December 2015, at a conference in Nairobi, 

Kenya, developed countries of the WTO agreed to eliminate export subsidies immediately for many 

products. However, exceptions were made for processed products, dairy products, and swine meat. 

For these products, developed member countries would eliminate export subsidies for products 

destined for least developed countries as of January 1, 2016, and eliminate all export subsidies at the 

end of 2020 (WTO, 2015a). For matters involving market access and domestic support, a comprehensive agreement for further trade liberalization has not been reached. In the absence of a multilateral agreement, some countries have turned to preferential bilateral and regional trade agreements. 

16 According to the World Bank, “In current usage, MFN tariffs are what countries promise to impose on imports 

from other members of the WTO, unless the country is part of a preferential trade agreement (such as a free trade area or 

customs union). This means that, in practice, MFN rates are the highest (most restrictive) that WTO members charge one 

another.” (World Bank, 2010).

17 An ad valorem tariff is a tariff rate charged as a percentage of the price while a specific tariff is charged as a fixed 

amount per quantity, such as $0.20 per pound. To compare tariffs across countries, which may use either or both types of 

tariffs, ad valorem equivalent estimates are often used.

18 The Doha Round was launched at the Fourth Ministerial Conference in Doha, Qatar, in November 2001.
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Price Relationships and Effects of Exchange Rates

Since about 2003, U.S. domestic prices for dairy products have begun to track more closely with 

prices of other major dairy exporters. Since SMP has historically accounted for the largest value of 

U.S. dairy exports, SMP is used as an example here and several other places throughout this report. 

U.S. domestic prices for nonfat dry milk have converged with skim milk powder export prices of 

Oceania (New Zealand and Australia) and Europe (fig. 12).19 Notice that the U.S. nonfat dry milk 

price has become more variable. This is the case with most other major dairy products as well well. 

For products with a lower proportion of exports, price relationships have also tended to converge, 

but not to the same extent. For example, U.S. domestic prices for butter became more closely tied 

to international export prices in 2007 (fig. 13). However, in 2015, the U.S. domestic butter price 

was higher than the Oceania and European export prices by about $0.60 per pound on average. For 

cheddar cheese, the U.S. domestic price in 2015 exceeded the Oceania price by $0.14 per pound on 

average. 

In 2015, U.S. domestic butter and cheese prices were higher than the Oceania and European export 

prices for several reasons. First, U.S. domestic demand for products with substantial milk-fat 

content was particularly strong. While U.S. milk production grew by 1.3 percent from 2014 to 2015, 

domestic use of butter and cheese grew by 2.6 and 3.5 percent, respectively. In addition, some international shocks had a more direct impact for Europe and Oceania than for the United States. The 

Russian trade ban had a direct impact on EU dairy industry (see box, “Russian Trade Ban”) while 

19 Although the U.S. nonfat dry milk prices and foreign export prices for skim milk powder are comparable, there are 

some significant differences in how they are collected and reported. The products are slightly different since the U.S. 

price is for nonfat dry milk but the foreign export prices are for skim milk powder. The U.S. price is reported through 

a mandatory program, while foreign prices are reported voluntarily. While the U.S. price is a domestic price reported 

free on board (f.o.b.) plant or storage facility, the foreign export prices are f.o.b. port of the exporting country. The U.S. 

domestic prices are weighted average prices from a comprehensive survey, including only prices for products shipped 

within 30 days of the contract, and recorded at the time of shipment and transfer of title. The foreign export prices in 

our figures are the midpoints of reported price ranges (not averages), including products under forward contract, and are 

recorded at the time of contract.

U.S. dollars per pound

The U.S. domestic wholesale price is a national weighted average price. Export prices for Oceania and Europe are midpoints 

of reported ranges.

Source: USDA/Agricultural Marketing Service. 

Figure 12

U.S. and international prices for nonfat dry milk and skim milk powder

1995 96 97 98 99 2000 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15

0.00

0.50

1.00

1.50

2.00

2.50 U.S. domestic wholesale 

nonfat dry milk price

Oceania skim milk 

powder export price

European skim milk 

powder export price
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the decline in export demand from China had a direct impact on the New Zealand dairy industry. 

With over-quota tariffs of $0.70 per pound for butter and $0.56 for cheddar cheese (more or less for 

other types of cheeses), U.S. dairy imports were constrained, providing some insulation for the U.S. 

dairy industry and allowing for the gap between the U.S. domestic and international prices.

Although many factors contribute to the relative value of U.S. products to those of competitors, 

exchange rates play a major role. In 2015, the U.S. dollar appreciated considerably against other 

major currencies. A recent USDA Economic Research Service report states the following:

The appreciation of the dollar relative to a wide range of currencies largely reflects 

increased demand for dollars needed for investment and business activity in the United 

States. Stronger growth in the U.S. economy relative to other developed-country economies, along with geopolitical conflicts in the Middle East, the former Soviet Union, and 

elsewhere, attracts investors to the relative strength and safety of U.S. markets (Cooke, 

Landes, and Seeley, 2016).

All other things being equal, U.S. exports move in inverse direction with the value of the U.S. dollar 

compared with other currencies. Two types of relationships among exchange rates matter with 

respect to U.S. dairy exports: 

1. If the U.S. dollar appreciates relative to currencies of countries that import U.S. products, U.S. 

exports tend to decrease because U.S. products are relatively more expensive to those countries 

in terms of their currencies. This was the case for Mexico, Canada, and most other leading U.S. 

export destinations in 2015 (fig. 14). In addition, U.S. producers are motivated to produce and 

export lesser quantities because the trade price converted to the domestic currency is lower. 

2. If the U.S. dollar appreciates relative to currencies of other major dairy product exporters, U.S. 

exports become less competitive as U.S. prices tend to rise relative to prices of other countries. 

This was the case for the European Union, New Zealand, and most other leading competitors in 

2015 (fig. 15). Most global dairy trade is denominated in U.S. dollars, making comparisons relatively easy for importers. In addition, U.S. producers are less motivated to produce and export 

greater quantities because the trade price in U.S. dollars appears less to U.S. producers than to 

competing producers.

U.S. dollars per pound

Note: The U.S. domestic wholesale price is a national weighted average price. Export prices for Oceania and Europe are 

midpoints of reported ranges.

Source: USDA/Agricultural Marketing Service.

Figure 13

U.S. and international prices for butter

0.00

0.50

1.00

1.50

2.00

2.50

3.00

1995 96 97 98 99 2000 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15

U.S. domestic wholesale price European export price Oceania export price
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Changes in price relationships over time are closely associated with changes in economic conditions 

and government policies, as discussed in following sections.

Index, 2010 = 100

Note: Exchange rate indices in this table show the exchange rates compared to a 2010 base level of 100. For example, since 

the index value for the Euro is 127 in 2015, the value of the U.S. dollar has appreciated 27 percent relative to the Euro,

adjusted for inflation, from 2010 to 2015.

Source: USDA/Economic Research Service, Agricultural Exchange Rate Data Set.

Figure 15

Real exchange rate indices of leading U.S. dairy export competitors

A strong U.S. dollar in 2015 made 

U.S. exports less competitive with

exports of other global dairy suppliers.

90

100

110

120

130

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

New Zealand dollar Euro

Index, 2010 = 100

Note: Exchange rate indices in this table show the exchange rates compared to a 2010 base level of 100. For example, since 

the index value for the Mexican peso is 124 in 2015, the value of the U.S. dollar has appreciated 24 percent relative to the 

Mexican peso, adjusted for inflation, from 2010 to 2015.

Source: USDA/Economic Research Service, Agricultural Exchange Rate Data Set.

Figure 14

Real exchange rate indices of leading U.S. dairy export destinations

A strong U.S. dollar in 2015 made 

U.S. exports appear relatively 

expensive to U.S. trading partners.

90

100

110

120

130

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Mexican peso Canadian dollar
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Changes in U.S. Dairy Policy Affecting Exports

U.S. Price Support for Dairy Products

Until recently, the United States set floors on dairy prices through a price support program. The 

Milk Price Support Program (MPSP) was established by the Agricultural Act of 1949 and was 

amended several times over the years. Through the program, the Federal Government purchased 

dairy products in order to support milk prices at specified levels. The Food, Conservation, and 

Energy Act of 2008 (2008 Farm Act) changed the name of the program to the Dairy Product Price 

Support Program (DPPSP) and specified support prices of purchased manufactured products instead 

of the price of milk. The U.S. Government generally disposed of the products in ways that were 

designed to have minimal impacts on U.S. domestic prices—through donations to needy people, 

donations to foreign countries needing aid, sales restricted to animal feed use, and export sales. 

However, at times of relatively high domestic prices, the Government sold products to the U.S. 

domestic market for unrestricted use. 

In recent years, government purchases under the DPPSP dwindled as U.S. dairy market prices rose 

while support prices were set at relatively low levels. Government stock levels and price relationships for nonfat dry milk are illustrated in figure 16 as an example. The declining real value of 

price supports contributed to the increase in exports as dairy products that would have been sold to 

the Government were made available for commercial export. The program was repealed in accordance with the 2014 Farm Act. While the nonfat dry milk price was $0.90 per pound on average 

during 2015, the price fell below $0.80 per pound (the previous support price level) in August and 

December. If the program had remained in effect, there would likely have been some Government 

price support purchases in 2015. 

Dollars per pound

Million

pounds

Sources: USDA/Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA/Farm Service Agency.

Figure 16

U.S. nonfat dry milk prices and Government ending stocks

0

500

1,000

1,500

0.80

1.20

1.60

1.80

1995 96 97 98 99 2000 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15

Government ending stocks (right axis)

U.S. domestic wholesale price (left axis)

U.S. support price (left axis)
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Economic Research Service/USDA

U.S. Dairy Export Subsidies

Prior to 2004, U.S. commercial exports20 of major dairy products were usually low and were often 

exceeded by subsidized exports through the Dairy Export Incentive Program (DEIP). Authorized 

by the Food Security Act of 1985, DEIP allowed exporters to buy at U.S. prices and sell abroad 

at prevailing (lower) international prices by paying cash bonuses. DEIP removed nonfat dry milk, 

butterfat, and certain cheeses from the domestic market and helped develop export markets. It 

also helped reduce the expenditure burden on storage costs of the domestic price support program, 

since products that the Government would have bought and stored were instead exported to foreign 

markets. The relationships among U.S. nonfat dry milk price, the Oceania skim milk powder price, 

subsidized exports, and commercial exports for SMP are illustrated in figure 17. Since 2004, U.S. 

commercial exports have grown substantially, and exports are no longer subsidized. DEIP was 

repealed in accordance with the 2014 Farm Act.

Milk Income Loss Contract Program

The Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 introduced the Milk Income Loss Contract 

(MILC) program for all dairy producers who produced milk for the commercial market. 

Participating farmers received payments for 45 percent of the difference between $16.94 per cwt 

and a benchmark milk price (the Class I Federal milk marketing order price in Boston21). When 

the benchmark price was above $16.94 per cwt, no payments were made. Participants could receive 

payments on at most 2.4 million pounds of milk marketed in a fiscal year (equivalent to a relatively 

small herd of roughly 150 cows producing an average milk yield). Congress made various changes to 

the program through the years. Notably, the 2008 Farm Act added an adjustment for feed costs, and 

the cap on eligible production was increased to 2.985 million pounds from October 1, 2008, through 

August 31, 2012. The program was repealed with the 2014 Farm Act.

20 Commercial exports exclude U.S. Government donations to foreign countries and exports subsidized under the 

Dairy Export Incentive Program.

21 Class I milk is milk marketed through the Federal order system used for fluid beverage purposes. Class I prices differ according to location of the plant. For more information, see http://www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/moa/dairy.

Ratio: U.S. price/Oceania price

Million

pounds

1 SMP includes nonfat dry milk and skim milk powder.

Sources: USDA/Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S. Bureau of the Census, USDA/Foreign Agricultural Service.

Figure 17

U.S. SMP1 exports and the U.S./Oceania price ratio

1995 96 97 98 99 2000 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15

U.S. subsidized exports (right axis)

U.S. commercial exports (right axis)

Ratio: U.S. price / Oceania export price (left axis)

0

500

1,000

1,500 0.8

1.0

1.2

1.4

1.6

1.8
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Direct payments to producers under the MILC program likely encouraged at least some additional 

milk production, resulting in lower prices.22 To the extent that U.S. prices for dairy products were 

lower, U.S. exports became more competitive in world markets. Due to the cap on eligible production, the program was of greater proportional benefit to smaller dairy farmers, and the production 

response to the program may have been greater for producers producing less than the eligible cap 

because payments increased with each additional pound of production. Participating dairy farmers 

producing more than the eligible cap per year would receive the same benefit regardless of the 

volume produced above the cap. Thus, while large farmers gained from the direct payments, the 

lower prices brought about by the supply response may have offset the gains to some extent.

U.S. Dairy Export Council

The U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) promotes U.S. dairy exports throughout the world. The 

program is funded by Dairy Management Inc. (DMI), the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) 

Market Access Program, the FAS Foreign Market Development program, other FAS programs, 

and membership dues. Most of the funding for USDEC comes from DMI, which receives its 

funding from the National Dairy Promotion and Research Program, commonly known as the Dairy 

Checkoff Program. To fund the Dairy Checkoff Program, U.S. dairy farmers are assessed 15 cents 

per hundredweight of milk, and importers are assessed at the rate of 7.5 cents per hundredweight of 

milk, or the equivalent thereof, for dairy products imported into the United States.23 The program 

provides both domestic and international dairy product promotion, research, and nutrition education.

USDEC leverages market development, market access, and trade policy to improve sales to overseas 

customers. USDEC’s funding increased by about 60 percent from $15.8 million in 2005 to $25.4 

million in 2012 (values for both years in 2015 dollars). A study of the Dairy Checkoff program, 

provided in the annual Report to Congress for 2012 Activities, reported the benefit-cost ratio, in 

terms of dairy farmer profit from export promotion through the program, was $5.12 per dollar 

invested (USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), 2005 and 2012).

Margin Protection Program for Dairy Producers

The Margin Protection Program for Dairy Producers (MPP-Dairy) is a voluntary risk management program for dairy farmers established by the 2014 Farm Act. It offers protection when the 

national average margin (the difference between the U.S. all-milk price and the estimated average 

feed cost) falls below a level selected by the dairy farmer. The program offers catastrophic coverage 

for no cost, other than a $100 registration fee, and various levels of buy-up coverage. Dairy farmers 

selecting catastrophic coverage only receive Government payments when the average margin falls 

below $4.00 per cwt. Dairy farmers may buy additional coverage, in 50-cent increments, up to $8 

per cwt, selecting to cover 25 to 90 percent of an established production history. For operations 

that existed when the program was implemented, the production history is the highest annual milk 

production marketed during 2011, 2012, or 2013. Procedures are available for new operations to 

establish production history. Production history is adjusted each year, reflecting the percentage 

change in national milk production.

22 Estimates of supply effects from MILC have varied depending on the estimation methods used and the periods 

studied (Brown, 2003; Price, 2004; Antoni, Mishra, and Blayney, 2012).

23 The Dairy Production Stabilization Act of 1983, as amended through May 7, 2010, States that use import assessments for the National Dairy Promotion and Research Program “shall not be used for foreign market promotion.”
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In 2015, 54.6 percent of licensed dairy operations (representing 80.7 percent of U.S. milk production) participated in the program (USDA, Farm Service Agency (FSA), 2015). The largest proportion 

of participating operations (44.0 percent) chose $4.00 per cwt coverage, and there was a significant 

cluster (41.6 percent) choosing $6.00 and $6.50 coverage. For coverage distribution by milk production history, 61.5 percent was covered at the $4.00 level. Dairy farmers who bought coverage at the 

highest level, $8.00 per cwt, received small payments during the year (USDA FSA, 2016).

The effect of the program on exports will depend on the extent to which dairy farmers increase production in response to Government payments received through the program. Since MPP-Dairy payments are 

based on a dairy farmer’s production history but are not impacted by the individual farmer’s changes 

in milk production, they can best be described as partly decoupled. They do not depend on a farmer’s 

production level, but they are impacted by current market conditions (i.e., milk and feed prices), and 

the farmer must remain in production to participate. Decoupled payments can have production impacts 

because they affect farmer wealth, risk attitudes, and liquidity (Westcott, 2005). 

Supply impacts from MPP-Dairy (and thus its effects on exports from greater supplies of products 

and lower U.S. export prices) are likely to be limited. Since MPP-Dairy does not increase per-unit 

net returns from increased production, the additional funds from Government payments are more 

likely to be spread among many uses in addition to farming (household consumption, savings, and 

investment) than a Government program closely tied to production. Additionally, low participation 

at buy-up levels may limit the supply impact. So far, most farmers have chosen to participate, but the 

majority of the participants’ milk production history has been covered at only the $4.00 per cwt level. 

In years when premiums paid by dairy farmers exceed Government payments, such as 2015, expected 

supply effects are ambiguous as negative wealth effects from the premiums paid may be mitigated by 

the decrease in risk attributable to the program (Mark, Burdine, Cessna, and Dohlman, 2016).

Dairy Product Donation Program

The Dairy Product Donation Program (DPDP) was established by the 2014 Farm Act. Through 

the program, the Government would purchase dairy products for donation to public and private 

nonprofit organizations that provide nutrition assistance to low-income populations. Government 

purchases would be triggered when the margin (the same as calculated for MPP-Dairy) is less than 

$4 per cwt for 2 consecutive months. DPDP purchases would terminate if:

• Government purchases are made for 3 consecutive months, even if the actual dairy production 

margin remains $4 per cwt or less per cwt of milk. 

• The national average margin has been greater than $4 per cwt of milk for the immediately 

preceding month. 

• The national average margin has been $4 per cwt or less, but more than $3 per cwt, for the 

immediately preceding month and during the same month.

To the extent that milk production is higher due to the DPDP, the program could have a positive 

impact on dairy exports, as more supplies would be available for export and U.S. dairy export prices 

would be lower. However, the impact of DPDP on the U.S. milk supply is expected to be small. 

Events that would trigger activation of the program have been unusual in recent years. In 2009, there 

were 6 consecutive months when the national average margin, as calculated for the program, would 

have been $4.00 per cwt or less. In 2012, there were 4 such consecutive months. Otherwise, the 

margin has been greater than $4.00 per cwt in recent years. 
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Profiles of Major Dairy Exporting Countries

The majority of world dairy trade originates from four suppliers: the European Union, New Zealand, 

the United States, and Australia. Available data of milk-producing and -consuming countries show 

that these four suppliers have accounted for the vast majority world dairy exports in recent years, 

about 75 percent of world dairy trade value (Global Trade Atlas (GTA), 2016).24

European Union

Milk supply and export conditions

The European Union (EU) is the largest producer of milk globally, with production of 329.8 billion 

pounds of cows’ milk in 2015 (USDA FAS, 2016c). Due to its high level of production and government policies, the EU has historically been the world’s top dairy supplier. In comparison to some 

other major dairy exporters, EU farm-milk production costs have been relatively high on average, 

but they vary considerably among member states. In 2012, Western European farm-milk production 

costs were in the range of US$18-25 per cwt25 compared to US$19 per cwt in the United States26

and US$16 per cwt in Oceania (IFCN, 2013). 

In recent years, just over three-quarters of milk produced in the EU has been processed into dairy 

products, while less than a quarter has been consumed as fluid milk (USDA FAS, 2016c). EU dairy 

product exports totaled almost $15.7 billion in 2015, a 63.6 percent increase from the 2004 value, 

with infant formula and cheese accounting for a combined 50.7 percent of total value (table 3). EU 

exports of infant formula increased by nearly 4 times from 2004 to 2015, with greatest export shares 

in 2015 going to China and Hong Kong (GTA, 2016). The EU is generally highly competitive on 

cheese exports, selling to countries with strong consumer preferences for European cheeses. From 

2002 to 2015, the EU exported more than 40 percent more cheese than New Zealand and the United 

States combined (USDA FAS, 2016c). 

Shift in perception of EU dairy export prices as prevailing world prices

Traditionally, the EU dominated world exports, and European dairy export prices were considered 

the prevailing world prices. For example:

• A 1982 International Monetary Fund report by Anjaria, Iqbal, Kirmani, and Perez states, “World 

dairy prices are influenced to a considerable extent by the export subsidy levels of the world’s 

largest dairy exporter, the European Community.”27

24 Belarus, Argentina, Switzerland, and Uruguay were also significant dairy exporters in 2015.

25 Throughout this report, with a few exceptions, metric units have been converted to English units because they are 

more commonly used in the United States.

26 According to data from IFCN, milk production costs in the United States vary significantly by region. In 2012, a 

typical small dairy farm in New York or Wisconsin had a cost of $23 per cwt, while a typical large farm in California 

had a cost of $14 per cwt. IFCN U.S. milk cost of production estimates differ from those produced by the USDA Economic Research Service due to differences in methodology and farms surveyed. IFCN estimates for the United States are 

presented in this report in order to provide consistent comparisons to cost of production estimates of other countries.

27 The European Community (also known as European Communities) was the forerunner to the European Union, 

which was founded by the Maastricht Treaty in 1993.
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Table 3

European Union (28 countries) dairy product export values by trading partner and product, 

2015 and 2004, in millions of constant U.S. 2015 dollars

2015

Trading Partner

Infant 

formula Cheese SMP1 WMP2

Other 

dairy 

products

Value per 

partner

Percent 

per 

partner

China 1,364.1 51.4 161.0 79.0 817.9 2,473.4 15.8

United States 3.5 1,004.0 1.4 7.2 308.7 1,324.8 8.5

Hong Kong 852.1 22.9 39.5 60.4 207.4 1,182.3 7.5

Saudi Arabia 301.7 165.9 59.7 54.0 260.0 841.4 5.4

Algeria 144.1 95.7 245.8 108.2 20.9 614.9 3.9

Switzerland 15.4 342.8 0.7 3.1 130.4 492.5 3.1

Japan 0.4 294.5 32.0 0.4 104.1 431.3 2.8

Egypt 75.6 98.9 128.3 18.8 86.4 408.1 2.6

United Arab Emirates 42.9 99.1 41.2 56.3 155.7 395.3 2.5

Rest of world 1,287.3 1,687.5 948.8 966.6 2,623.6 7,513.8 47.9

Value per product 4,087.3 3,862.6 1,658.5 1,354.0 4,715.2 15,677.6 100.0

Percent per product 26.1 24.6 10.6 8.6 30.1 100.0

2004

Trading Partner

Infant 

formula Cheese SMP1 WMP2

Other 

dairy 

products

Value per 

partner

Percent 

per 

partner

China 11.7 5.0 24.2 1.9 111.2 154.1 1.6

United States 3.1 893.5 1.0 1.7 367.5 1,266.9 13.2

Hong Kong 49.2 10.9 1.1 0.3 50.0 111.5 1.2

Saudi Arabia 112.7 144.5 24.9 188.0 209.9 679.9 7.1

Algeria 27.5 56.2 129.5 226.1 38.6 477.8 5.0

Switzerland 8.9 282.7 1.4 1.6 68.9 363.5 3.8

Japan 0.7 304.6 1.0 0.5 134.6 441.4 4.6

Egypt 12.6 23.7 39.9 35.7 77.8 189.8 2.0

United Arab Emirates 15.6 52.1 7.2 70.3 91.5 236.7 2.5

Rest of world 828.4 1,360.7 458.4 1,125.5 1,884.5 5,657.5 59.1

Value per product 1,070.5 3,133.7 688.7 1,651.4 3,034.7 9,579.1 100.0

Percent per product 11.2 32.7 7.2 17.2 31.7 100.0

1 SMP includes nonfat dry milk and skim milk powder.

2 WMP includes dry whole milk and whole milk powder.

Totals may not add precisely due to rounding.

Source: Global Trade Atlas.
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• In a May 2004 report by the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC), Conditions of 

Competition for Milk Protein Products in the U.S. Market, USITC’s analysis uses the USDA 

North European free on board (f.o.b.) SMP export price as the representative world SMP price.

Perceptions of EU dairy prices as consistently the prevailing world prices gradually changed over 

time, with Oceania prices, and sometimes U.S. prices, perceived as the prevailing world prices. 

There is not a clear demarcation as to when the situation changed. For example: 

• An October 2009 report for the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy by Bain & Company states, 

“As recently as the early 1990s, the European Union (EU) was the global leader in dairy trade. 

However, Oceania (New Zealand and Australia) has since supplanted the EU as the world’s 

leading dairy exporter by leveraging their low-cost position and increasingly global capabilities.”

• The July 2006 issue of Dairy: World Markets and Trade reported that the U.S. support price for 

SMP effectively set a price floor for the world at that time. When the report was published, EU 

exports of SMP were expected to be limited for the foreseeable future.

While European dairy prices are still an important part of the international dairy market landscape, 

they are no longer consistent benchmark prices for the world. The shift was largely the result of the 

evolution of government policies.

Government policies influencing dairy exports

The European Union sets price floors, called intervention prices, for dairy products. The program 

operates similarly to the U.S. DPPSP (terminated by the 2014 Farm Act) in that producers of dairy 

products have the option to sell into intervention at prices set by the EU Commission. With reforms 

to the EU Common Agricultural Policy in 2003, dairy intervention prices were lowered in the mid2000s (Council of the European Union, 2003). In addition to intervention prices, direct payments 

were made to dairy farmers. Over several years, with variation depending upon each Member State, 

these payments were decoupled from milk production levels as part of the EU’s comprehensive noncommodity-specific Single Payment Scheme (SPS). Since payments did not depend upon levels of 

production, they were much less trade distorting. Before the reforms, EU domestic-market dairy 

prices closely tracked intervention prices. Even after the reforms, intervention was used again in 

response to the exceptionally low price margins of 2009 and 2015. 

In addition to dairy intervention, the EU uses a Private Storage Aid (PSA) program. Producers of 

dairy products can obtain financial support for storage costs. The PSA program is designed to stabilize seasonal price fluctuations by encouraging dairy processors and manufacturers to take product 

temporarily off the market during peak production periods. While the PSA program has been used 

for butter stocks for several years, it has only been used since September 2014 for SMP. Use of the 

PSA program since September 2014 was prompted by Russia’s ban on food imports from the EU 

and other selected countries (see box, “Russian Trade Ban”). Figure 18 illustrates the relationships 

between EU stock levels (intervention and PSA stocks) and price relationships for SMP. 

The EU has significantly reduced export subsidies in recent years. A reduction in export subsidies 

goes hand-in-hand with a reduction in domestic support prices. With prices set at artificially high 

levels, prices can be supported by reducing supply to the domestic market through domestic government purchases or by subsidizing exports. The relationships among EU prices, subsidized exports, 

and commercial exports are illustrated in figure 19. With the exception of 2009, exports have not 

been subsidized since 2006, as both EU domestic market and export prices have been sufficiently 
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higher than the intervention price. As subsidized exports disappeared, commercial exports became 

more viable.

In 1984, milk production quotas were introduced in the EU to restrict the growth in surplus production and limit growth in government spending for domestic support and export subsidies. By limiting 

supply, quotas generally raised prices paid by consumers and received by dairy farmers. Since prices 

were higher with the quotas, they improved the sustainability of the intervention program. However, 

production-quota systems can be maintained only if the domestic market is largely isolated from 

foreign supplies through TRQs or other trade constraints. Production quotas are income-generating 

assets, and over time the value of the assets are reflected in the cost structures of dairy farms. 

Eventually, it becomes less profitable, or perhaps infeasible, for dairy farmers to produce milk if they 

Euros per pound

Million

pounds

The export price is the midpoint of the range as reported by the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service.

Sources: European Commission, USDA/Agricultural Marketing Service, Organisation for Economic Co-operation 

and Development. 

Figure 18

European Union skim milk powder prices and ending stocks

1995 96 97 98 99 2000 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15

0

200

400

600

0.40

0.60

0.80

1.00

1.20

1.40

1.60

Intervention ending stocks (right axis)

Private storage aid stocks (right axis)

Intervention price (left axis)

Domestic wholesale price (left axis)

Export price (left axis)

Euros per pound

Million

pounds

The export price is the midpoint of the range as reported by USDA/Agricultural Marketing Service (reported in U.S. 

dollars/pound) and converted to euros per pound using exchange rates from the USDA/ERS Macroeconomic Data Set.

Sources: European Commission, USDA/Agricultural Marketing Service, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and 

Development.

Figure 19

European skim milk powder prices and exports

Unsubsidized exports (right axis)

Subsidized exports (right axis)

Intervention price (left axis)

Domestic wholesale price (left axis)

Export price (left axis)

0

500

1,000

1,500

0.40

0.60

0.80

1.00

1.20

1.40

1.60

1995 96 97 98 99 2000 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15
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do not own quota. Thus, quotas generally provide gains for producers that initially receive quota 

but result in higher costs for subsequent generations (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and 

Development, 2005).

As domestic support and export subsidies were reduced, the need for production quotas subsided. 

On November 20, 2008, the EU agriculture ministers reached a political agreement on the Health 

Check28 of the Common Agricultural Policy. The agreement increased milk quotas gradually until 

their abolition at the beginning of April 2015. According to the European Commission (EC), “As 

milk quotas will expire by April 2015 a ‘soft landing’ is ensured by increasing quotas by one percent 

every year between 2009/10 and 2013/14” (EC, 2009). However, after the abolition of dairy quotas, 

EU milk production and exports increased significantly (fig. 20).

The Russian trade ban, which began on August 6, 2014, and unfavorable economic conditions in 

Russia have had a substantial negative impact on EU trade with Russia. EU dairy exports to Russia 

fell from $2.0 billion in 2013 to $1.3 billion in 2014 and less than $0.2 billion in 2015 (see box, 

“Russian Trade Ban”). Although Russia’s dairy imports from some other countries have increased, 

they have not made up for the losses from countries included in the ban. With the EU’s loss of 

Russia as a trading partner for most dairy products, the EU has become more competitive in other 

world markets, contributing to the weaker global dairy prices. 

On June 23, 2016, citizens of the United Kingdom voted to leave the EU in a referendum, a situation 

commonly known as Brexit. Any impacts of Brexit on U.S. dairy exports are likely to be indirect, 

stemming from the highly uncertain effects of Brexit on global macroeconomic conditions and 

international trade negotiations. U.S. dairy trade between the United States and the United Kingdom 

is small in both directions. The United Kingdom is a net importer of dairy products, with about 99 

percent of its imports by value coming from other EU countries in 2015. U.S. dairy imports from the 

United Kingdom are small, $74 million in 2015 (mostly cheese).

28 Health Check is “a set of measures which aims at simplifying the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and helping 

them to respond better to signals from the market and face new challenges” (European Commission, 2009). 

Million pounds

Source: The European Commission.

Figure 20

European Union (EU) daily cows' milk marketings per month

800

840

880

920

960

1,000

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

2014 2015 EU milk quotas ended 

March 31,2015.
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Due to lower dairy product prices caused by high supplies, the Russian trade ban, and the slowdown 

in global dairy demand, the European Commission (EC) has described the EU dairy situation as 

“a prolonged crisis” (EC, 2016). On April 12, 2016, EC rules went into effect that allowed dairy 

producer organizations to set up schemes for compensating members for reducing milk supply on 

a temporary basis (USDA FAS, 2016a). On July 18, 2016, the EC announced a new €500 million 

support package. The package includes an EU-wide measure providing €150 in compensation to 

provide incentives for dairy farmers to reduce milk supply. It also includes a conditional adjustment 

aid of €350 to be allocated among EU member countries. Member countries have some flexibility in 

how to use the funds to support dairy farms (EC, 2016).

New Zealand

Milk supply and export conditions

New Zealand operates a pasture-based system of milk production. Cows graze on pasture all year 

and calve during spring, leading to a highly seasonal pattern of milk production. Output spikes 

during the spring (peaking in October) and is mostly converted to less-perishable products such as 

milk powder. The use of pasture for feed also allows milk to be produced at comparatively low cost: 

US$16 per cwt for an average dairy farm compared with US$19 per cwt for an average U.S. dairy 

farm29 in 2012 (IFCN, 2013). 

As purchased feed costs represent a relatively small proportion of costs for New Zealand dairies, 

principal production costs are land and labor. Land and labor costs have risen in recent years, 

eroding some price advantages enjoyed by New Zealand producers, although productivity has 

increased (IFCN, 2013). Weather continues to represent a major risk factor for producers. In years 

of drought, including the most recent severe drought in 2013, milk yields tend to fall due to poor 

fodder and farmers drying off cows earlier.30 Excluding drought years and the downturn due to 

weak global demand in 2015, productivity has increased in recent years. From 2003/04 to 2013/14,31

yield per cow increased by 12.3 percent from 8,510 pounds to 9,555 pounds. With New Zealand’s 

pasture-based system, yields are often stated in terms of milk solids per land area, and efficiency 

gains in terms of land usage have exceeded efficiency gains in terms of milk per cow. From 2003/04 

to 2013/14, milk solids per acre rose by 19.6 percent, from 793 to 948 pounds. From 2003/04 to 

2013/14, the average dairy farm increased from 302 to 413 head (DairyNZ, 2014). 

Dairy cows in New Zealand compete with beef cattle and sheep for land. As dairy production has 

become more profitable, land has shifted away from beef cattle and sheep into dairy. From 2002 to 

2014, the beef cow inventory fell 18 percent and sheep inventory fell 25 percent, while dairy cow 

inventory rose 30 percent. With low returns in 2015, milk cow numbers fell by more than 3 percent 

in 2015 (fig. 21). Assuming that milk production recovers to resume its long-term trend, dairy 

conversion is likely to continue. In 2015, New Zealand milk production was 47.6 billion pounds, 

about 1.7 times the level of production in 2000 (USDA FAS, 2016c).

29 Milk production costs vary significantly by region. In 2012, a small dairy farm in New York or Wisconsin had a cost 

of $23 per cwt while larger farms in California had a cost of $14 per cwt (IFCN, 2013).

30 Droughts have a comparatively smaller effect on dry-lot dairies common in the United States, as feed can be brought 

from outside the production area.

31 The New Zealand dairy marketing year used by this source (DairyNZ) is from June 1 to May 31. 
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New Zealand is the world’s top dairy exporting country, accounting for almost a quarter of global 

dairy trade value in 2015.32 Dairy contributes significantly to the overall economy of New Zealand, 

accounting for 28 percent of New Zealand export value in 2015 (GTA, 2016). About 95 percent 

of milk is exported in some form, making the industry almost entirely export-focused (Dairy 

Companies Association of New Zealand, 2016). Dairy export growth has been rapid, rising from 

about $4.9 billion in 2004 (valued in 2015 U.S. dollars) to $13.5 billion in 2014 before falling to $9.5 

billion in 2015 (table 4).

China was the destination for only 6.3 percent of New Zealand dairy exports by value in 2004, but 

in 2015, it was the top destination, with a market share of 20.0 percent (the United States is a distant 

second export destination for New Zealand’s dairy products). WMP accounts for the greatest share 

of exports to China, with the value of WMP exports increasing from $193 million in 2004 (valued in 

2015 U.S. dollars) to $858 million in 2015.33 A decrease in dairy demand from China (discussed in a 

later section) has contributed directly to a decrease in New Zealand exports in 2015. New Zealand’s 

dairy exports to China fell from US$3.8 billion in 2014 to US$1.9 billion in 2015.

Government policies influencing dairy exports

New Zealand undertook major agricultural reforms in 1984. All government supports were withdrawn as part of more general economic reforms. The Government discontinued price supports 

as well as capital and input subsidies. Tax, interest rate, and lending concessions were terminated. 

Despite the rapid institution of these changes, transitional assistance to producers was modest, 

limited to some debt rescheduling, exit aid, and living expense grants (Johnson, 2000). 

Subsequent to reform, land values dropped by 50 percent in 4 years; however, by 1995 they had 

recovered to 86 percent of pre-reform levels. Dairy farm profits per hectare returned to pre-reform 

levels by the late 1990s. Farm sizes grew, use patterns changed, and some marginal land was retired 

32 The export market share for New Zealand is based on world trade of 52 major exporting countries assembled in the 

Global Trade Atlas. Altogether, exports from the EU countries have been more than from New Zealand, about 35 percent 

of global dairy trade.

33 In research for this report, some sources were found stating that New Zealand has aproximity advantage for exporting to China. It is notable that the distance from Auckland, New Zealand, to Beijing, China, is 6,460 miles. The distance 

from Los Angeles, California, to Beijing, China, is less: 6,245 miles (Google Maps, 2016).

Thsnd. head Thsnd. head

Source: Statistics New Zealand.

Figure 21

New Zealand cattle and sheep inventory numbers

0

10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

7,000

8,000

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Beef cattle (left axis) Dairy cattle (left axis) Sheep (right axis)
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Table 4

New Zealand dairy product export values by trading partner and product, 2015 and 2004, in 

millions of constant U.S. 2015 dollars

2015

Trading Partner WMP1

Butter 

and 

butterfat Cheese SMP2

Other 

dairy 

products

Value per 

partner

Percent 

per 

partner

China 858.2 224.7 163.5 299.5 351.2 1,897.2 20.0

United States 9.1 55.4 57.5 0.7 666.3 788.9 8.3

United Arab Emirates 321.6 79.7 15.4 18.7 3.1 438.5 4.6

Australia 25.8 60.9 185.0 10.5 144.6 426.8 4.5

Japan 2.2 31.8 191.4 26.9 173.4 425.8 4.5

Malaysia 205.3 46.4 35.1 76.0 40.8 403.7 4.3

Algeria 300.7 30.2 11.9 8.4 4.3 355.4 3.8

Philippines 40.3 90.5 52.5 78.3 72.7 334.3 3.5

Rest of world 1,758.1 1,017.5 452.2 442.2 728.1 4,398.1 46.4

Value per product 3,521.4 1,637.1 1,164.4 961.3 2,184.6 9,468.8 100.0

Percent per product 37.2 17.3 12.3 10.2 23.1 100.0

2004

Trading Partner WMP1

Butter 

and 

butterfat Cheese SMP2

Other 

dairy 

products

Value per 

partner

Percent 

per 

partner

China 192.6 19.4 9.8 62.5 24.0 308.4 6.3

United States 9.3 75.2 125.9 2.0 360.9 573.2 11.7

United Arab Emirates 26.1 17.9 7.4 1.9 1.0 54.3 1.1

Australia 28.7 25.7 125.7 12.9 42.9 235.9 4.8

Japan 13.4 0.7 158.1 31.6 123.7 327.5 6.7

Malaysia 102.9 14.8 11.1 72.6 16.0 217.4 4.4

Algeria 59.5 1.3 6.6 8.4 2.0 77.9 1.6

Philippines 79.7 20.1 35.9 99.1 55.5 290.4 5.9

Rest of world 1,057.6 629.2 384.7 307.0 425.8 2,804.3 57.4

Value per product 1,569.9 804.3 865.4 597.9 1,051.9 4,889.5 100.0

Percent per product 32.1 16.5 17.7 12.2 21.5 100.0

1 WMP includes dry whole milk and whole milk powder.

2 SMP includes nonfat dry milk and skim milk powder.

Totals may not add precisely due to rounding.

Source: Global Trade Atlas.
33

Growth of U.S. Dairy Exports, LDPM-270-01

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(Allan and Kerr, 2014 and Vitalis, 1987). In recent years, New Zealand dairy-farm land prices have 

exhibited volatility resulting from variability of international dairy product prices. Over the last 

decade, New Zealand farmland prices, in general, have risen by 54 percent. Dairy farms have lead 

the way, with land prices rising from about NZ$9,100 per acre in 2005 to NZ$15,700 per acre in 

2015, exhibiting volatility over the period (ANZ Bank of New Zealand Ltd, 2016). 

The New Zealand Dairy Board Act of 1961 granted a state trading enterprise (STE), the New 

Zealand Dairy Board (NZDB), authority to operate as the single-desk monopoly dairy-export entity 

for New Zealand. New Zealand dairy cooperatives owned NZDB in proportion to their supply of 

products to the NZDB. WTO member countries have recognized the potential of STEs to distort 

world trade through price discrimination and have thus required STEs to operate in accordance with 

commercial considerations. 

In a June 1996 investigation of STEs, including NZDB, the U.S. Government Accounting Office 

(GAO) found that NZDB commanded about 25 percent of world dairy trade at the time. According 

to the report, NZDB’s statutory monopoly control over dairy exports did not allow the organization 

to cross subsidize exports from domestic sales since NZDB did not have control over the domestic 

market. However, NZDB’s size and monopoly purchasing authority allowed it to benefit from economies of scale and market power. NZDB benefited from a network of international subsidiaries, 

giving it particular advantages in markets restricted by quotas. GAO did not have sufficient data to 

determine if NZDB had the ability to differentiate pricing in foreign markets.

Faced with internal and external pressures, New Zealand took steps in the early 2000s to restructure 

its dairy industry. New Zealand’s Dairy Industry Restructuring Act (DIRA) of 2001 authorized the 

merger of NZDB with two large dairy cooperatives accounting for about 95 percent of New Zealand 

milk production, Kiwi Cooperative and the New Zealand Dairy Group. The company formed from 

this merger became Fonterra Cooperative Ltd. (Fonterra). The Dairy Industry Restructuring Act of 

2001 ended the official monopoly status that had existed with NZDB by removing “restrictions on 

the export of dairy products except for exports to designated markets.” 

Although the act ended NZDB’s statutory monopoly status, Fonterra maintained temporary exclusive 

rights to export to certain dairy products to “designated markets,” including Canada, the European 

Communities, the United States, Japan, and the Dominican Republic. Fonterra’s exclusive access to 

these export quotas varied by market, with expiration dates scheduled from 2007 to 2010 (USDA 

FAS, 2008). Fonterra has grown considerably since its creation, but its share of the New Zealand 

milk supply has fallen from about 96 percent in 2001/02 to about 85 percent in 2014/15 (Commerce 

Commission, New Zealand, 2016).

The New Zealand-China Free Trade Agreement (FTA) has contributed to the rise in New Zealand’s 

exports to China. The agreement became effective in October 2008. Specifically for dairy, tariffs for 

milk formula, casein, yogurt, and whey were scheduled to be phased out over 5 or 6 years. Tariffs 

on butter and liquid milk were to be phased out over 10 years, and tariffs on milk powders were to 

be phased out over 12 years (New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, 2008). While the 

FTA has played a role in the higher imports of WMP, much of the increase in China’s dairy imports 

may be attributed to a 2008 dairy safety scandal in China, discussed in a later section.
34

Growth of U.S. Dairy Exports, LDPM-270-01

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Australia 

Milk supply and export conditions

Australia’s dairy industry shares many features with New Zealand, including a pasture-based system 

and low domestic consumption relative to production. Yields typically reach a peak during October 

with spring calving, moderate throughout the summer, and bottom out during the winter months 

when cows dry off. Because of the reliance on grass for feed (70 to 75 percent feed needs are met by 

grazing), production is highly sensitive to weather (Dairy Australia, 2013). In drought years, reduced 

forage can lead to precipitous declines in milk yields as farmers dry off cows sooner and culling 

rates increase, leading to a smaller dairy herd. 

Most dairy farming is in the Southeast part of the country, although there are dairy operations in 

other areas. From the middle of the 1990s through the late 2000s, Southeast Australia experienced 

a severe “millennial” drought.34 For dairy farming, the drought was particularly severe during the 

production season of July 2002 to June 2003 (Dairy Australia, 2013). Australian milk production 

reached a peak of 25.6 billion pounds in 2002 and trended downward to a low point of 20.6 billion 

pounds in 2009 (fig. 22). Milk production recovered from the 2009 low point, but drought again 

contributed to a setback in 2013 (USDA FAS, 2014a). Milk production was 21.6 billion pounds in 

2015 (USDA FAS, 2016c).

With lower milk production in 2015 compared to 2004, Australia was not able to meet the growing 

demand of its dairy export customers to the same extent as its competitors (table 5). The value 

of Australia’s dairy exports dropped by 15 percent over the period, compared with approximate 

increases of more than 160 percent, nearly double, and about triple for the EU, New Zealand, and the 

United States, respectively. The allocation of dairy exports among trading partners changed significantly over the period. China received 16.1 percent of Australia’s dairy exports in 2015 compared to 

2.7 percent in 2004. Japan was Australia’s top buyer in 2015, but Australia’s dairy exports to Japan 

declined slightly compared to 2004.

34 Since there is not a universal drought definition, there is not agreement among sources as to the exact period of the 

drought. 

Bilion of pounds

Source: USDA/Foreign Agricultural Service.

Figure 22

Australia milk production

18.0

20.0

22.0

24.0

26.0

1995 96 97 98 99 2000 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15
35

Growth of U.S. Dairy Exports, LDPM-270-01

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Government policies influencing dairy exports

The Australia dairy industry became unregulated with respect to milk and dairy product prices 

on July 1, 2000. Previously, the Australian dairy industry had been regulated through National 

and State policies. Details varied from one State to the next, but the use of production quotas and 

pooling arrangements for sourcing drinking milk were common. A review by Victoria State in the 

late 1990s found that public costs of the regulations exceeded public benefits, and dairy farmer and 

manufacturing representatives supported removing the regulations. Other States, realizing that their 

own regulations would be unsustainable if Victoria deregulated, agreed that it would be best for the 

Australian Government to deregulate the industry and develop a restructuring package. An adjustment program was instituted to assist dairy farmers and communities impacted by deregulation. A 

consumer levy was imposed to pay for the adjustment program (Harris, 2007). 

Australia has entered into several FTAs over the years. The U.S.-Australia FTA went into effect in 

2005. Australia’s access to the U.S. dairy market has been gradually liberalized since the agreeTable 5

Australia dairy product export values by trading partner and product, 2015 and 2004, in millions of constant U.S. 2015 dollars

2015

Trading Partner Cheese SMP1 WMP2

Fluid 

milk and 

cream

Other 

dairy 

products

Value per 

partner

Percent 

per 

partner

Japan 328.8 14.3 0.0 0.5 30.9 374.5 19.1

China 58.0 49.1 34.9 57.2 115.3 314.4 16.1

Singapore 25.3 36.2 28.5 28.4 37.6 156.0 8.0

Indonesia 14.0 110.3 4.8 1.1 12.7 142.9 7.3

Malaysia 33.8 41.0 8.5 13.7 27.4 124.3 6.3

Rest of world 193.8 228.6 139.7 61.0 223.6 846.7 43.2

Value per product 653.7 479.4 216.5 161.9 447.5 1,958.9 100.0

Percent per product 33.4 24.5 11.0 8.3 22.8 100.0

2004

Trading Partner Cheese SMP1 WMP2

Fluid 

milk and 

cream

Other 

dairy 

products

Value per 

partner

Percent 

per 

partner

Japan 334.6 10.4 4.7 8.3 75.5 433.5 18.8

China 10.1 20.3 7.7 1.2 22.0 61.3 2.7

Singapore 11.1 49.5 30.6 15.7 34.5 141.4 6.1

Indonesia 21.0 31.2 40.6 3.2 23.7 119.6 5.2

Malaysia 11.1 46.0 93.2 10.3 11.8 172.4 7.5

Rest of world 415.7 225.2 335.0 140.7 267.1 1,383.7 59.9

Value per product 803.6 382.6 511.7 179.4 434.6 2,311.9 100.0

Percent per product 34.8 16.5 22.1 7.8 18.8 100.0

1 SMP includes nonfat dry milk and skim milk powder.

2 WMP includes dry whole milk and whole milk powder.

Totals may not add precisely due to rounding.

Source: Global Trade Atlas.
36

Growth of U.S. Dairy Exports, LDPM-270-01

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ment became effective. The FTA established additional TRQs for Australia, with the TRQ quantities 

increased each year. The agreement also eliminated U.S. tariffs for in-quota imports, but over-quota 

imports face the same normal trade relation rates as most other WTO countries. After 20 years, 

either country may request consultations with the other to review dairy market access. Since U.S. 

dairy exports to Australia entered without restrictions even before the FTA, the agreement does not 

have any direct effects on U.S. dairy trade flows to Australia (USITC, 2004b). For the most part, 

since the agreement was established, U.S. dairy imports from Australia have been lower than TRQ 

levels. While U.S. dairy imports from Australia were $67 million in 2015 (mostly casein products 

and cheese), U.S. dairy exports to Australia were $135 million (mostly cheese).

Australia entered into an FTA with South Korea on December 12, 2014. Under the agreement, South 

Korea allows duty-free quotas for cheese, butter, and infant formula. High tariffs on many products 

will be eliminated by 2033 (Australian Government, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (AUS 

DFAT), 2016b). Australia entered into an agreement with Japan on January 15, 2015. Japan’s tariff 

reductions include halving of the 40 percent tariff on processed cheese over a 10-year period and 

reductions for other cheese types. In addition, tariffs on lactose and milk-protein concentrates will 

be eliminated (USDA FAS, 2015a).The China-Australia FTA became effective on December 20, 

2015. Under the agreement, China will gradually eliminate all tariffs on Australian dairy products 

between 2019 and 2026. At the time of the agreement, tariffs on some dairy products were as much 

as 20 percent (AUS DFAT, 2016a).
37

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Principle Markets for U.S. Dairy Product Exports 

The United States exported dairy products to over 140 countries in 2015. The following section 

highlights specific markets that have accounted for the greatest share of U.S. dairy product exports 

in recent years.

Mexico

From 2004 to 2015, Mexico’s milk production grew 19 percent (USDA FAS, 2016c). The growth 

of milk production has been the result of improved genetics and dairy management practices rather 

than herd expansion. High-end technology and integrated farms are located in northern and central 

areas while farms in southern areas rely on cattle grazing in pasturelands (USDA FAS, 2014c). 

From 2004 to 2015, Mexico’s consumption of major dairy products grew more quickly than its milk 

production. The increase in dairy consumption can be attributed to higher income and greater availability due to improvements in cold chains and growth in the supermarket sector. From 2004 to 

2015, domestic consumption of cheese, butter, and SMP domestic rose by 83, 63, and 114 percent, 

respectively (USDA FAS, 2016c). Fluid milk consumption differs by region. While northern Mexico 

consumes mostly fresh milk, UHT35 milk is widely consumed in the central region, and southern 

Mexico consumes mostly powdered milk or UHT milk due to lack of refrigeration. LICONSA, a 

government parastatal that runs a nutrition program providing subsidized milk to disadvantaged 

families, has historically been one of Mexico’s top importers of milk powder. In recent years, 

LICONSA has taken steps to purchase larger quantities of domestic fluid milk in lieu of imports 

(USDA FAS, 2014c).

Imports have helped Mexico meet its rapid growth in consumption. In 2015, Mexico imported dairy 

products valued $1.8 billion (table 6), a 34 percent increase from $1.3 billion in 2004 (valued in 2015 

U.S. dollars). In 2015, imported dairy products from the United States were valued at $1.2 billion, 

65.9 percent of Mexico’s dairy import value. SMP made up the largest share of Mexico’s dairyproduct import value (34.6 percent in 2015). The U.S. market share of Mexico’s SMP imports was 

84.9 percent in 2015. After SMP, cheese was the second-highest product imported by value, with the 

United States accounting for 75.7 percent of the import value. Imports from New Zealand and the 

EU were also substantial in 2015, especially for butterfat and casein products. 

The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), implemented in 1994, played a key role in 

the increase of U.S. dairy trade to Mexico. Some trade restrictions on U.S. products to Mexico were 

eliminated immediately upon implementation, while others were phased out over periods of 4, 9, or 

14 years. The TRQ on SMP was eliminated in 2008 after a 14-year phase-out period.

Canada

Canada’s growth of dairy product imports has been moderate compared to Mexico and China. 

Unlike Mexico, trade barriers and tariffs were not liberalized through NAFTA since Canada 

excluded dairy from the FTA. The dairy industry in Canada has operated under a supply management system since the early 1970s. The Canadian Dairy Commission oversees a framework for 

dairy management, a jurisdiction shared by the Federal Government and the provinces. The system 

35 Ultra-high temperature (UHT) milk is a shelf-stable fluid milk product that does not need refrigeration until the 

container has been opened.
38

Growth of U.S. Dairy Exports, LDPM-270-01

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is characterized by high support prices for milk and products (consistently above world prices), 

milk supply quotas, and severe import restrictions. Milk production quotas, set by provincial milk 

marketing boards, have been relatively stable. 

From 2004 to 2015, the value of Canada’s imports increased from $671 million (valued in 2015 

dollars) to $742 million (table 7). The United States is the leading supplier of imports, accounting 

for 57.5 percent of dairy imports in 2015. Cheese accounted for the greatest value of imports, with 

imports from the United States ranking second behind the European Union. While the United States 

was the leading supplier of infant formula and whey products, New Zealand was the leading supplier 

of butterfat products, and the EU provided the highest value of other dairy products.

Although U.S. dairy product exports to Canada increased significantly, growth continues to be 

constrained by TRQs. For example, the in-quota rate for most types of cheddar cheese is C$0.0151 

per pound while the over-quota rate is the lesser of 245.5 percent or C$1.624 per pound (Government 

of Canada, Canada Border Service Agency, 2015). Canada recently negotiated the Comprehensive 

Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) with the EU. The agreement would grant the EU additional 

access for cheese. To become effective, Canada and the EU must ratify the agreement. If approved, 

Table 6

Mexico dairy product import values by trading partner and product, 2015 and 2004, millions 

of constant U.S. 2015 dollars

2015

Trading Partner SMP1 Cheese

Butter and 

butterfat

Casein 

products

Other dairy 

products

Value per 

partner

Percent per 

partner

United States 521.2 380.1 6.3 2.7 257.4 1,167.7 65.9

EU-28 52.7 54.8 3.6 51.2 88.8 251.1 14.2

New Zealand 8.3 16.2 112.4 69.3 15.1 221.4 12.5

Uruguay 8.9 35.3 2.3 3.6 13.6 63.7 3.6

Rest of world 22.6 16.0 8.4 0.6 20.7 68.3 3.9

Value per product 613.7 502.4 133.1 127.6 395.5 1,772.3 100.0

Percent per product 34.6 28.3 7.5 7.2 22.3 100.0

2004

Trading Partner SMP1 Cheese

Butter and 

butterfat

Casein 

products

Other dairy 

products

Value per 

partner

Percent per 

partner

United States 246.6 119.0 3.5 20.3 174.3 563.7 42.8

EU-28 31.8 36.2 88.4 51.2 52.5 260.1 19.7

New Zealand 51.1 29.0 67.5 26.9 73.9 248.4 18.8

Uruguay 5.1 32.1 4.6 0.0 20.3 62.1 4.7

Rest of world 16.1 64.2 17.8 11.5 74.2 183.8 13.9

Value per product 350.7 280.5 181.9 109.9 395.2 1,318.2 100.0

Percent per product 26.6 21.3 13.8 8.3 30.0 100.0

1 SMP includes nonfat dry milk and skim milk powder.

2 MPC stands for milk protein concentrate.

Totals may not add precisely due to rounding.

Source: Global Trade Atlas.
39

Growth of U.S. Dairy Exports, LDPM-270-01

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Canada would accept over a hundred geographical indications (GIs),36 restricting use of names such 

as asiago and feta. Canadian manufacturers currently using the names would have a grandfathered 

right to use them without any qualifiers, but new Canadian producers of such cheeses would be 

required to use qualifiers such as “style” or “kind” (USDA FAS, 2014b). 

China

China initiated dramatic economic reforms in 1978 and has since transitioned from a rigid centrally 

planned economy to a more decentralized, market-based economy. China officially acceded to the 

WTO in December 2001 and, as a result, made a number of changes to its domestic support, export 

subsidies, and market access policies. For dairy products, tariffs were reduced over a 5-year period. 

Even before China became a WTO member, it had been in the process of reducing tariffs, eliminating import and export licenses for many products, and eliminating government trading monopolies (Shane and Gale, 2004). Perhaps the greatest consequence to dairy markets of China’s WTO 

membership is its contribution to China’s economic growth and purchasing power. Although there is 

no precise way to determine how much China’s WTO membership has contributed to its economic 

growth, it is worth noting that China’s GDP, adjusted for inflation (in constant 2010 U.S. dollars), 

grew from $2.4 billion in 2001 to $8.2 billion in 2014, about 3.4-fold growth over the period (USDA 

36 Geographical indication is defined by the World Intellectual Property Organization as “a sign used on products that 

have a specific geographical origin and possess qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin.” Geographical indications prevent third parties that do not conform to the standards from using the indication.

Table 7

Canada dairy product import values by trading partner and product, 2015 and 2004, millions of constant U.S. 2015 dollars

2015

Trading Partner Cheese

Infant 

formula

Whey 

products

Butter and 

butterfat

Other dairy 

products

Value per 

partner

Percent per 

partner

United States 68.2 148.1 122.8 12.7 75.1 426.7 57.5

EU-28 135.3 17.9 2.8 7.9 19.1 183.0 24.7

New Zealand 0.2 0.0 3.9 32.5 15.1 51.7 7.0

Rest of world 39.2 0.9 1.3 3.4 35.3 80.2 10.8

Value per product 242.8 166.9 130.8 56.4 144.7 741.8 100.0

Percent per product 32.7 22.5 17.6 7.6 19.5 100.0

2004

Trading Partner Cheese

Infant 

formula

Whey 

products

Butter and 

butterfat

Other dairy 

products

Value per 

country

Percent per 

partner

United States 31.4 80.1 49.7 11.6 46.1 218.9 32.6

EU-28 140.4 17.9 2.0 13.3 82.2 255.8 38.1

New Zealand 3.6 0.0 2.3 35.9 95.6 137.4 20.5

Rest of world 33.2 0.2 2.9 13.1 9.4 58.8 8.8

Value per product 208.7 98.2 56.8 73.9 233.3 670.9 100.0

Percent per product 31.1 14.6 8.5 11.0 34.8 100.0

Totals may not add precisely due to rounding.

Source: Global Trade Atlas.
40

Growth of U.S. Dairy Exports, LDPM-270-01

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ERS, 2016a). However, in 2015, China’s GDP continued to grow, but at a substantially slower rate 

(fig 23).

Strong consumer demand in China has encouraged milk production expansion. Government 

programs, such as the China School Milk Program initiated in 2000, have promoted greater milk 

consumption. However, domestic milk production is constrained by lack of land, labor, and forage 

(Gale, Hansen, and Jewison, 2015). China has a substantial dairy herd, 8.4 million head in 2015 

(lower than the United States, at 9.3 million head), but production has stagnated as entry of commercial-scale farms barely offset the rapid exit of small-scale operators triggered by rising off-farm 

wages and strict regulatory requirements. Chinese companies have made investments in processing 

and farms, including a number of overseas investments to secure future supplies of imported milk.

In 2008, the discovery of melamine contamination in domestically produced infant formula reduced 

consumer confidence in domestic milk products and led to stricter regulation of China’s dairy sector. 

Due to tighter regulations and loss of consumer confidence, milk production decreased, contributing 

to an increase in imports. China’s milk production did not recover to its 2007 level until 2014 (fig. 24).

Percent

Source: National Bureau of Statistics of China.

Figure 23

China GDP year-over-year growth rate

6

7

8

9

10

11

2011

1 2 3 4

2012

1 2 3 4

2013

1 2 3 4

2014

1 2 3 4

2015

1 2 3 4

Billions of pounds Constant 2015 U.S. dollars in billions

Sources: USDA/Foreign Agricultural Service, Global Trade Atlas, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Figure 24

China milk production and dairy import value

0.0

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

6.0

7.0

8.0

9.0

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90 Cow's milk production, left axis

Dairy import value from all countries (right axis)

Melamine scandal

in 2008

1995 96 97 98 99 2000 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15
41

Growth of U.S. Dairy Exports, LDPM-270-01

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Chinese imports of dairy products rose from $727 million in 2004 (valued in 2015 U.S. dollars) to 

$8.5 billion in 2014 before falling to $6.2 billion in 2015 (fig. 24 and table 8). The slower growth 

of China’s GDP in 2015 likely contributed to the reduction in dairy import demand (fig. 23). In the 

second quarter of 2014, the annual growth rate for GDP in China was 7.4 percent. By the fourth 

quarter of 2015, it had fallen to 6.8 percent. Another contributing factor was an accumulation of 

WMP stocks. Since WMP is one of China’s main import products, the rise in WMP stocks to 661 

million pounds at the beginning of 2015 (more than twice 2014 beginning stocks) had a substantial 

impact on China’s dairy imports (fig. 25). 

Imports from the European Union accounted for 45.7 percent of China’s total dairy imports in 2015, 

followed by New Zealand at 33.0 percent and the United States at 7.8 percent. Imports of infant 

formula accounted for the greatest share of China’s dairy import value, with the EU accounting for 

72.4 percent of infant formula imports. WMP ranked second by value, with New Zealand as the 

leading supplier. While accounting for a small share of infant formula and WMP, the United States 

was second behind the EU for imports of whey products. According to an FAS report from 2013, 

Table 8

China dairy product import values by trading partner and product, 2015 and 2004, millions 

of constant U.S. 2015 dollars

2015

Trading Partner

Infant 

formula WMP1

Whey 

products SMP2

Other 

dairy 

products

Value per 

partner

Percent 

per partner

EU-28 1,822.2 27.4 348.9 104.7 516.9 2,820.1 45.7

New Zealand 195.5 898.0 25.9 299.4 618.7 2,037.5 33.0

United States 74.5 7.0 224.2 52.4 126.1 484.1 7.8

Australia 150.9 49.1 17.0 57.6 148.4 423.0 6.9

Rest of world 275.0 8.3 46.4 3.1 73.2 405.9 6.6

Value per product 2,518.1 989.7 662.3 517.2 1,483.2 6,170.5 100.0

Percent per product 40.8 16.0 10.7 8.4 24.0 100.0

2004

Trading Partner

Infant 

formula WMP1

Whey 

products SMP2

Other 

dairy 

products

Value per 

partner

Percent 

per partner

EU-28 17.6 5.0 88.6 23.2 29.0 163.4 22.5

New Zealand 34.1 188.5 5.2 66.4 51.0 345.2 47.5

United States 0.3 0.7 40.8 10.5 15.8 68.1 9.4

Australia 4.7 12.7 18.7 24.0 15.0 75.1 10.3

Rest of world 54.7 0.8 4.1 8.0 7.2 74.9 10.3

Value per product 111.4 207.7 157.4 132.1 118.1 726.7 100.0

Percent per product 15.3 28.6 21.7 18.2 16.2 100.0

1 WMP includes dry whole milk and whole milk powder.

2 SMP includes nonfat dry milk and skim milk powder.

Totals may not add precisely due to rounding.

Source: Global Trade Atlas.
42

Growth of U.S. Dairy Exports, LDPM-270-01

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about half of the protein-product imports at that time were estimated to be used as livestock feed, 

mainly incorporated into piglet feedlots (USDA FAS, 2013).

South Korea

South Korea has a moderate-sized dairy industry that supplies the country’s fluid milk needs. In 

2015, 69.5 percent of domestic milk production was consumed as fluid milk (USDA FAS, 2016c). 

The remainder available for processing is far below the volume required to meet demand; therefore, 

a large proportion of dairy products consumed in South Korea must be imported. For example, 

only about 18.5 percent of cheese consumption in 2015 was domestically produced (USDA FAS, 

2016c). As in other high-income countries, demand for fluid milk has stabilized, and total fluid milk 

consumption has been relatively flat since 2004. Increased dairy demand comes mostly from higher 

consumption of value-added dairy products, including cheese, yogurt, and processed foods that 

contain milk ingredients (USDA FAS, 2014d). 

From 2004 to 2015, the value of South Korean dairy imports more than doubled, from $374 million 

(valued in 2015 U.S. dollars) to $927 million (table 9). Cheese was the product with the greatest 

import value in 2015, accounting for 54.2 percent of the total. The United States, with a 50 percent 

share by value, was the leading supplier of cheese. Soft cheese is much more popular in South Korea 

than hard cheese, with domestic soft cheese sales growing 14 percent in 2014. Sales of shredded 

mozzarella for pizza make up a large proportion of the soft cheese sales (USDA FAS, 2015b). 

Following cheese imports were imports of SMP, whey products, and casein products. The United 

States ranked second, behind the EU, for imports of SMP and whey products, but it was not a significant supplier of casein products.

A free trade agreement (FTA) between South Korea and the United States was initiated in 2012. 

South Korea’s preferential TRQs for the United States have allowed greater U.S. dairy exports. For 

example, under the agreement, South Korea’s TRQ for cheese allowed 15.4 million pounds in cheese 

imports from the United States to be imported duty-free, while over-quota imports had a tariff 

of 33.6 percent. By 2015, the duty-free quota had grown to 16.9 million pounds while over-quota 

imports had a tariff of 26.4 percent. Over-quota tariffs on cheddar cheese will be eliminated after 

the 10th year of the agreement, and over-quota tariffs on all other cheeses will be eliminated over 15 

years (USDA FAS, 2014d). South Korea’s total cheese imports from the United States have exceeded 

Million pounds

Source: USDA/Foreigin Agricultural Service.

Figure 25

China whole milk powder beginning stocks and imports

0

200

400

600

800

1,000

1,200

1,400

1,600

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Beginning stocks Imports
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the FTA TRQ amounts each year, growing from 70.3 million pounds in 2012 to 140.8 million 

pounds in 2014, before falling to 120.9 million pounds in 2015 (GTA, 2016). 

Japan

Japan, like South Korea, produces enough milk for drinking use but not enough for all processing 

needs. Japan imports significant quantities of dairy products in order to make up for the shortfall. 

Due to high land, feed, and labor costs, milk production costs in Japan are among the highest in 

the world, at $58 per hundredweight (cwt) in 2012 compared to $19 per cwt in the United States 

(IFCN, 2013). Supply controls and price supports have been in place in some form since 1962 in 

order to limit price volatility (Obara, Dyck and Stout, 2005). TRQs protect the domestic industry 

from less expensive foreign products by limiting the volume of imports. Dairy plays a limited role 

in traditional cuisine, but consumption is more prominent in Japan than in other Asian countries. 

Since 2000, per capita GDP growth averaged about 0.7 percent per year. Sluggish economic growth, 

accompanied by an aging and declining population, has limited dairy consumption. 

The value of Japan’s dairy imports has grown from $1.4 billion in 2004 (valued in 2015 U.S. dollars) 

to $1.7 billion in 2015 (table 10). Although the EU was the largest supplier in 2004 (35.4 percent), 

Table 9

South Korea dairy product import values by trading partner and product, 2015 and 2004, 

millions of constant U.S. 2015 dollars

2015

Trading Partner Cheese

Whey 

products

Infant 

formula

Casein 

products

Other 

dairy 

products

Value per 

partner

Percent per 

partner

EU-28 148.6 34.3 35.5 32.4 136.2 387.0 41.8

United States 250.7 27.9 2.9 1.4 36.4 319.4 34.5

New Zealand 63.6 1.2 19.5 19.8 21.8 126.0 13.6

Australia 32.7 0.8 7.5 0.2 28.9 70.1 7.6

Rest of world 6.1 9.4 0.5 1.3 6.8 24.0 2.6

Value per product 501.7 73.7 65.9 55.1 230.2 926.6 100.0

Percent per product 54.2 7.9 7.1 5.9 24.8 100.0

2004

Trading Partner Cheese

Whey 

products

Infant 

formula

Casein 

products

Other 

dairy 

products

Value per 

partner

Percent per 

partner

EU-28 27.0 15.0 4.4 15.9 53.1 115.4 30.9

United States 25.9 17.2 2.7 0.0 10.4 56.2 15.0

New Zealand 46.3 4.9 14.0 22.2 10.0 97.4 26.0

Australia 40.5 2.3 0.0 3.9 23.9 70.6 18.9

Rest of world 11.1 2.2 0.3 1.2 19.5 34.4 9.2

Value per product 150.8 41.6 21.5 43.2 116.9 373.9 100.0

Percent per product 40.3 11.1 5.7 11.5 31.3 100.0

Totals may not add precisely due to rounding.

Source: Global Trade Atlas.
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the EU share has declined to 28.2 percent in 2015, while shares for New Zealand and the United 

States have increased to 27.7 percent and 16.9 percent, respectively. Australia’s share fell from 27.8 

percent to 22.0 percent over the same period.

The Philippines

The dairy industry of the Philippines is very small, currently supplying less than 1 percent of its 

growing market. The Philippines has one of the highest population growth rates in Asia, and its 

economy has experienced robust growth, with GDP growth of about 6 percent per year from 2010 

through 2015 (World Bank, 2016, adjusted for inflation in Philippine currency). As the cold chain 

expands—in distribution and retail—more types of dairy products can be sold. The Philippines 

has relatively low tariffs on dairy product imports (7 percent on yogurt, butter, dairy spreads, and 

certain types of cheese; and 1 or 3 percent for other types of dairy products), and there are no quotas 

on imports (USDA FAS, 2015c). 

From 2004 to 2015, Philippine imports of dairy products grew from $698 million (valued in 2015 

U.S. dollars) to $775 million (table 11). In 2015, SMP comprised 33.6 percent of Philippine dairy 

imports by value. The Philippines also imported substantial quantities of cheese, butter and butterfat 

Table 10

Japan dairy product import values by trading partner and product, 2015 and 2004, millions 

of constant U.S. 2015 dollars

2015

Trading Partner Cheese

Whey 

products SMP1

Casein 

products

Other 

dairy 

products

Value per 

partner

Percent 

per partner

EU-28 297.5 52.0 36.4 35.2 70.0 491.0 28.2

New Zealand 222.5 60.6 60.9 84.1 53.8 481.9 27.7

Australia 333.3 19.5 19.8 0.0 9.7 382.2 22.0

United States 176.6 57.7 10.4 0.5 49.7 294.8 16.9

Rest of world 21.5 19.3 0.9 0.8 47.0 89.6 5.1

Value per product 1,051.3 209.1 128.3 120.6 230.1 1,739.5 100.0

Percent per product 60.4 12.0 7.4 6.9 13.2 100.0

2004

Trading Partner Cheese

Whey 

products SMP1

Casein 

products

Other 

dairy 

products

Value per 

partner

Percent 

per partner

EU-28 329.2 56.0 2.3 39.2 81.4 508.0 35.4

New Zealand 160.5 23.5 23.6 67.1 27.3 301.9 21.0

Australia 324.9 10.7 3.5 17.0 43.3 399.4 27.8

United States 37.9 35.1 33.4 0.8 52.0 159.3 11.1

Rest of world 27.4 4.5 22.7 0.6 11.9 67.1 4.7

Value per product 879.9 129.8 85.5 124.7 215.9 1,435.8 100.0

Percent per product 61.3 9.0 6.0 8.7 15.0 100.0

1 SMP includes nonfat dry milk and skim milk powder.

Totals may not add precisely due to rounding.

Source: Global Trade Atlas.
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products, and whey products. While the United States was the leading supplier of SMP and whey 

products to the Philippines, it was behind New Zealand in exports of cheese and was not a significant supplier of butter and butterfat products. 

Other Southeast Asia countries

While the Philippines was the largest Southeast Asia37 destination for U.S. dairy exports in 2015, 

other Southeast Asia countries have had large and growing dairy imports. In 2004, U.S. dairy 

exports to Indonesia, Vietnam, and Malaysia totaled $125 million altogether (valued in 2015 U.S. 

dollars). In 2015, the value of U.S. exports to these countries was $463 million, 3.7 times more than 

the 2004 value. The increase in U.S. exports to these three countries over the period is reflective 

of the rapid growth in annual GDP for these countries: 5.6 percent for Indonesia, 6.4 percent for 

Vietnam, and 5.1 percent for Malaysia (World Bank, 2016, adjusted for inflation in local currencies). 

In 2015, SMP made up the greatest value of U.S. dairy imports for these countries at $278 million. 

Whey products made up a substantial value of U.S. dairy exports at $72 million (GTA, 2016). 

37 USDA Economic Research Service categorizes Burma (Myanmar), Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, 

Thailand, Vietnam, Brunei, Laos, and Singapore as Southeast Asia countries.

Table 11

Philippines dairy product import values by trading partner and product, 2015 and 2004, millions of constant U.S. 2015 dollars

2015

Trading Partner SMP 1 Cheese

Butter and 

butterfat

Whey 

products

Other 

dairy 

products

Value per 

partner

Percent 

per partner

New Zealand 72.3 46.6 72.1 4.5 72.7 268.2 34.6

United States 92.2 13.8 0.1 32.0 29.2 167.4 21.6

EU-28 57.8 7.8 3.2 19.7 56.2 144.7 18.7

Australia 27.6 10.9 1.9 2.0 18.5 60.9 7.9

Rest of world 11.0 6.9 2.8 13.3 100.1 134.1 17.3

Value per product 260.9 86.1 80.1 71.4 276.8 775.4 100.0

Percent per product 33.6 11.1 10.3 9.2 35.7 100.0

2004

Trading Partner SMP 1 Cheese

Butter and 

butterfat

Whey 

products

Other 

dairy 

products

Value per 

partner

Percent 

per partner

New Zealand 93.6 34.8 18.6 0.2 117.8 264.9 38.0

United States 47.9 2.0 0.0 10.1 6.6 66.6 9.6

EU-28 24.1 1.8 5.5 12.3 65.3 109.0 15.6

Australia 98.0 11.8 2.8 12.1 43.2 167.9 24.1

Rest of world 10.4 0.9 1.0 3.8 73.0 89.1 12.8

Value per product 274.0 51.3 27.9 38.4 305.9 697.6 100.0

Percent per product 39.3 7.4 4.0 5.5 43.9 100.0

1 SMP includes nonfat dry milk and skim milk powder.

Totals may not add precisely due to rounding.

Source: Global Trade Atlas.
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Conclusion and Prospects for Future Growth of Exports

The United States positioned itself as a premier exporter of dairy products in recent years. Rapid 

growth in international dairy demand, notably in middle-income and developing countries, played 

a significant role. Income growth in developing countries quickly led to higher quantity and quality 

of food consumption, especially for livestock and dairy products. Higher trade was made possible 

by implementation of WTO rules and FTAs, which reduced barriers for dairy trade. Policy changes 

in the EU and the United States helped to make the U.S. dairy industry more price-competitive in 

world markets. In years to come, the United States, with a large dairy industry and expansion capability, is well positioned to increase dairy exports. 

According to USDA long-term (10-year) agricultural projections (which assumes current policies 

are maintained), U.S. milk production is projected to grow about 23 percent over the next 10 years 

(2015-2025), mostly due to rising milk production per cow. Domestic commercial use is expected 

to grow at a slightly slower pace. As estimated on a skim-solids, milk-equivalent basis, exports are 

expected to expand to 53.4 billion pounds in 2025 (43 percent higher than 2015), accounting for 

more than 20 percent of milk production. As estimated on a milk-fat, milk-equivalent basis, dairy 

exports are projected to be 13.6 billion pounds in 2025 (55 percent higher than 2015), accounting for 

more than 5 percent of milk production.38 Continued expansion of U.S. milk production and strong 

international demand are expected to allow U.S. dairy products to remain price competitive on the 

global market. 

Future growth in dairy trade is contingent on the ability of U.S. producers to remain cost competitive with foreign suppliers while increasing milk supply and encouraging favorable government policies around the globe. Increasing market share in new and traditional markets may be challenged by 

growing milk supplies among other major dairy-exporting countries. In addition, demand growth is 

highly uncertain, as relatively weak global demand in 2015 has continued in 2016. Exchange rates 

will continue to affect the ability of the United States to compete in world markets. China’s role 

will be a factor after drastically reducing its imports of dairy products in 2015, contributing to a 

sharp decline in world dairy prices. The elimination of milk production quotas in the EU in 2015 

has contributed to an increase in global milk production, but relatively high production costs may 

limit growth. While production costs are lower in Oceania, it will be a challenge for Australia’s 

milk production to recover from years of dry weather. New Zealand’s dairy industry is expected to 

continue expansion in future years as more land is converted to dairy; however, land and resource 

constraints may limit future production prospects in its pasture-based system. 

New trade agreements may play an important role in the future evolution of U.S. dairy trade. 

On October 7, 2015, the United States and 11 Pacific Rim nations concluded negotiations for the 

Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). Member countries include the United States, Australia, Brunei 

Darussalam, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, and Vietnam. 

These economies represent about 40 percent of total global trade. A 2014 USDA Economic Research 

Service study by Burfisher et al. illustrated that the TPP could have a positive effect on trade through 

the elimination of tariffs and discussed potential benefits from reduction of nontariff barriers. 

The agreement would reduce or eliminate tariffs for U.S. exports for some or all dairy products 

in Brunei, Canada, Japan, Malaysia, Peru, Vietnam, and New Zealand. (Previous agreements had 

already eliminated tariffs on U.S. dairy exports for Australia, Chile, Mexico, and Singapore.) The 

38 See the earlier section, Profile of U.S. Dairy Product Exports, for an explanation of milk equivalent calculations.
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United States would eliminate dairy tariffs for Malaysia, Vietnam, and Japan over 20 years and 

provide new market access for New Zealand, Australia, Peru, and Canada. The agreement is subject 

to ratification by the member countries (USDA FAS, 2016e). In a May 2016 report, the USITC 

estimates that if the TPP were to become effective in 2017, by 2032 the value of U.S. dairy-product 

exports would be 18.0 percent greater than they would be if the TPP were not enacted. According to 

their estimate, U.S. dairy imports would be 10.3 percent higher by 2032.

In June 2013, U.S. President Obama and European Commission President José Manuel Barroso 

announced that the United States and the EU would begin negotiations on the Transatlantic Trade 

and Investment Partnership (TTIP). The agreement would create a free trade area between the 

world’s two largest trading partners. U.S. dairy trade could potentially increase in both directions. 

Part of the trade enhancement for the dairy industry would come from tariff reductions. In 2010, 

tariffs applied by the United States to EU dairy imports averaged 20.2 percent while tariffs applied 

by the EU to U.S. dairy imports were much higher, 42.0 percent (Bureau et al., 2014). In addition, 

negotiations include a wide range of non-tariff measures. In particular, the EU seeks U.S. recognition of geographical indications (GIs) for certain types of cheeses, such as asiago and feta. Dairy 

producer and processor groups from the United States, effectively restricted from marketing certain 

cheeses with GIs in the EU, would like to see the GIs removed (National Milk Producers Federation, 

2016). While benefits for U.S. dairy exports would vary based on a final agreement, the TTIP would 

impact global trade by linking two of the world’s largest traders of dairy products.
48

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profiles_e.htm. 
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Appendix A. Value of Dairy Exports and Imports

The source for dairy product trade values in this report is the Global Trade Atlas database (GTA, 

2016). The value of dairy product exports or imports for a trading partner is estimated by aggregating data based on the Harmonized System (HS) nomenclature developed by the World Customs 

Organization. The HS categorizes goods using 6-digit harmonized codes that are common to all 

countries participating in the World Trade Organization. Countries often distinguish products 

beyond the 6-digit level, but these distinctions are not uniform across countries.

Most dairy products are classified in Chapter 4 of the HS, with HS numbers starting 04, but some 

dairy products are listed in other chapters. For example, ice cream is in Chapter 21. In the U.S. 

Harmonized Tariff Schedule, some dairy products are identifiable at the 8- or 10-digit level, but 

not at the 6-digit level. For example, exports of milk-based drinks (other than usual fluid milk and 

cream) are classified in Chapter 22 under the 8-digit HS code 22029015. At the 6-digit level, such 

milk-based drinks cannot be identified since they fall under a catchall code, 220290, for nonalcoholic beverages not elsewhere specified or included. 

For consistency across trading partners in this report, items that can be reasonably identified as 

dairy products at the 6-digit HS level are included in dairy value aggregations. For the United 

States, the valuations may be different from other aggregations used by USDA, including Foreign 

Agricultural Trade of the United States (FATUS); USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS); and 

Bulk, Intermediate, and Consumer-Oriented (BICO) reports. The tables in this report only delineate 

products with the highest trading values. Products with lower trading values are classified as “Other 

dairy products.” Some products are consistently classified as “Other dairy products” for all countries. See table A-1 for a list of HS numbers included in dairy product valuations in this report.

For 2004 valuations, nominal values have been converted to 2015 U.S. dollar values using the U.S. 

Consumer Price Index (CPI) for All Products reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The 

CPI reported for 2004 is 188.9, and the CPI for 2015 is 237.0. Therefore, nominal values for 2004 

have been multiplied by 1.255 (calculated as 237.0/188.9) to adjust for inflation.

For comparison purposes, tables with 2004 valuations display data for trading partners with the 

highest trading values in 2015. These countries may not have been those with the highest trading 

values in 2004. For example, table 3 shows the top nine export destinations for European Union (EU) 

dairy exports in 2015, with China at the top of the list. Although China ranked number 15 in 2004, the 

value of 2004 China dairy exports is shown in the table for comparison to 2015. Data for EU exports to 

Nigeria, which ranked number 7 in 2004 but number 10 in 2014, are not listed in the table.

Export values from a particular country do not equal corresponding import values of the trading 

partner. There are several explanations for the differences (Ferrantino and Wang, 2008; Martin, 2015):

• Valuations with respect to freight charges—such as free on board (f.o.b.); cost, insurance, and 

freight (c.i.f.); and free alongside ship (f.a.s.).

• Definitions of territories.

• Trade that crosses periods, recorded as an export in one year but as an import in the next year. 

• Declarations of country of origin.

• Exchange rate changes from time of export to import.

• Changes in price due to mid-shipment transfers.
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• Intentional under-invoicing to lower tariffs.

• Differences due to intermediation with third-party pass-through countries recorded as countries 

of origin or destination.

Table A-1

Products included in dairy valuations in this paper 

HS Description Product aggregation for this report Comment

0401 Fluid milk and fluid cream Fluid milk and fluid cream

Includes raw milk from dairy farms, 

beverage fluid milk, and cream; but 

does not include concentrated or 

sweetened milk products

0405 Butter and butterfat Butter and butterfat Includes butter, other fats derived 

from milk, and dairy spreads

0406 Cheese Cheese

040210 Skim milk powder and nonfat dry milk SMP Includes powders not exceeding 1.5 

percent butterfat

040221 Whole milk powder and dry whole milk WMP Includes milk powders with more 

than 1.5 percent butterfat

040229 Sweetened whole milk powder and dry 

whole milk WMP Includes milk powders with more than 1.5 percent butterfat

040291 Evaporated and condensed milk Consistently included with “Other 

dairy products” throughout paper Small trade volume

040299 Evaporated and condensed sweetened 

milk

Consistently included with “Other 

dairy products” throughout paper Small trade volume

040310 Yogurt Consistently included with “Other 

dairy products” throughout paper Small trade volume

040390 Buttermilk and other curdled milk 

products

Consistently included with “Other 

dairy products” throughout paper Small trade volume

040410 Whey and modified whey Whey products

040490

Products consisting of natural milk 

constituents, not elsewhere specified or 

included

Consistently included with Other 

dairy products throughout paper

Although trade volume is significant 

for some trading partners, the types 

of products being traded cannot be 

determined. Milk protein concentrates 

with less than 90 percent protein 

are included in this category for the 

United States.

170211 Anhydrous lactose Lactose

170219 Lactose other than anhydrous Lactose

190110 Infant formula Infant formula Includes some infant formula without 

milk constituents

2105 Ice cream Consistently included with “Other 

dairy products” throughout paper Small trade volume

350110 Casein Casein products

Includes milk protein isolate for 

the United States imports but not 

necessarily for other countries.

350190 Caseinates and casein glues Casein products

350220 Milk albumin Whey products Includes two or more whey proteins
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Appendix B. Discussion of Domestic and International 

Standards for Milk Powders

The terms “whole milk powder” and “dry whole milk” are often used interchangeably, as are 

the terms “skim milk powder” and “nonfat dry milk.” However, there are subtle but important 

differences between the terms. Whole milk powder and skim milk powder are defined by Codex 

Alimentarius international standards (CODEX STAN 207-1999). Dry whole milk and nonfat 

dry milk are defined for the U.S. domestic market by U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 

Standards of Identity (U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, 21 CFR 131.125 and 21 CFR 131.147). In 

some countries, additional milk constituents (milk retentate, milk permeate, or lactose) are often 

included in skim milk powder or whole milk powder in order to meet a desired protein level within 

a range defined by Codex. While the Codex standards allow these additional milk constituents for 

skim milk powder and whole milk powder, the FDA standards for nonfat dry milk and dry whole 

milk do not. For skim milk powder, the protein content is often adjusted to meet the minimum 

Codex level of 34 percent. Nonfat dry milk and dry whole milk, as defined by FDA standards, 

usually, but not consistently, have a protein content of more than 34 percent.

Export data do not make a distinction between whole milk powder and dry whole milk or between 

skim milk powder and nonfat dry milk. In this report, for the sake of brevity, the abbreviation WMP 

refers to whole milk powder and dry whole milk collectively as milk powder with greater than 1.5 

percent milk fat, and SMP refers to skim milk powder and nonfat dry milk collectively as milk 

powder with milk fat of 1.5 percent or less. When referring to either skim milk powder or nonfat dry 

milk, the terms are spelled out in this report.

U.S. standards of identity prescribe procedures and ingredients that determine how products may be 

labeled, but they do not define what can legally be produced or sold in commercial markets. A broad 

range of cheeses, such as cheddar and mozzarella, has FDA standards of identity that allow the use 

of nonfat dry milk but not skim milk powder with altered milk constituents. Consequently, U.S. 

firms have traditionally manufactured nonfat dry milk, rather than skim milk powder, to meet the 

demand of the domestic cheese industry. Further, the U.S. Government Dairy Product Price Support 

program (which declined in recent years and was discontinued by the Agricultural Act of 2014) 

allowed nonfat dry milk to be sold to the Government; skim milk powder with altered milk constituents was not allowed. With a reduction in Government purchases of nonfat dry milk and an increase 

in skim milk powder demand from foreign customers, some manufacturing has shifted from the 

former product to the latter. In 2015, the United States produced 1.822 billion pounds of nonfat 

dry milk and 446 million pounds of skim milk powder for human consumption (USDA National 

Agricultural Statistics Service, 2016).
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Appendix C. Discussion of Milk Protein Products

Milk protein products are often traded internationally. They are used as ingredients in foods such 

as cheese products, cultured products, dairy-based beverages, pediatric nutrition, and many others. 

However, there are some difficulties in accounting for certain milk protein products in international 

trade.

For the United States, milk protein concentrate (MPC) with a protein level of at least 40 percent but 

less than 90 percent falls within the “not elsewhere specified or included” category under the 6-digit 

international HS code 0404.90 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2015). U.S. imports of these MPC products 

are disaggregated from other dairy products at the 8-digit level, 0404.90.10, in the U.S. Harmonized 

Tariff Schedule. MPC makes up the largest proportion of U.S. imports received within the broader 

0404.90 level. For U.S. exports, HS codes do not clearly distinguish MPC; there is no more specific 

breakout than the 6-digit level for dairy products “not elsewhere specified or included.” 

While some countries disaggregate MPC from imports of other products categorized under 0404.90 

as the United States does, other countries do not. For countries that do disaggregate MPC imports, 

HS codes are not consistent beyond the 6-digit level. Therefore, the extent of MPC trade among 

countries often cannot be readily ascertained from international data. 

For U.S. imports, MPC with a protein content of 90 percent or more, also known as milk protein 

isolate (MPI), is included in the same 6-digit Harmonized Tariff Schedule (HTS) code as casein, 

3501.10 (USITC, 2016a). For U.S. imports, MPI is disaggregated under the 8-digit HTS code 

3501.10.10. However, this treatment is not consistent among countries even at the 6-digit level (which 

is supposedly harmonized across countries). For example, Canada categorizes MPC with a protein 

content of 85 percent or more by weight, on the dry matter, in 3504.00.11 and 3504.00.12. At the 

6-digit level, HS 3504.00 is a catchall category that includes “peptones and their derivatives; other 

protein substances and their derivatives, not elsewhere specified or included; hide powder, whether 

or not chromed” (Government of Canada, Canada Border Service Agency, 2015). With these inconsistencies and lack of specificity among countries, the extent of MPI trade among countries cannot 

be readily ascertained from international trade data, and comparison of casein products traded (HS 

3501.10) from one country to another have some inconsistency.