Measures of Growth 

in 

Federal Milk Orders 

United States Department of Agriculture 

Agricultural Marketing Service Dairy Programs Market Information Branch 

MGFMO – 0518 May 4, 2018 

2017 Highlights 

Total Receipts of milk pooled under Federal Milk Marketing Orders totaled 135.6 billion pounds marketed 

by 32,988 dairy producers across all Federal orders in 2017. Total receipts were 7.4 percent higher, but 

pooled producer numbers were 8.7 percent lower than 2016. The average daily delivery of producer milk 

per pooled producer was 17.6 percent higher compared to 2016. In 2017, milk marketed through Federal 

orders accounted for 64 percent of all milk sold and 63 percent of fluid grade milk sold to U.S. plants and 

milk dealers. 

$0

$100,000

$200,000

$300,000

$400,000

$500,000

$600,000

$700,000

$800,000

$900,000

194719501953195619591962196519681971197419771980198319861989199219951998200120042007201020132016

Dollars

Gross Value of Producer Receipts per Producer, 1947-2017
Measures of Growth in Federal Milk Orders 

Agricultural Marketing Service 

May 4, 2018 

MGFMO‐0518	 Page	2	

Year 

Number 

of 

Markets 

Number of 

Pool 

Handlers 

Number of 

Pooled 

Producers 

Population of 

Federal Milk 

Marketing 

Areas 

Total Receipts 

of Producer 

Milk 

Producer Milk 

Used as Class I 

Percent of 

Producer 

Milk Used 

as Class I 

 (number) (thousands) (million pounds) (percent) 

1947 29 991 135,830 * 14,980 9,808 65.5 

1948 20 993 136,363 * 15,020 9,852 65.6 

1949 33 966 142,995 * 17,049 10,104 59.3 

1950 39 1,101 156,584 * 18,660 11,000 58.9 

1951 44 1,343 172,327 39,891 20,117 12,718 63.2 

1952 49 1,352 176,752 41,185 22,998 14,672 63.8 

1953 49 1,308 183,479 41,506 25,896 15,436 59.6 

1954 53 1,333 186,127 43,266 27,140 16,172 59.6 

1955 63 1,483 188,611 46,963 28,948 18,032 62.3 

1956 68 1,486 183,830 48,575 31,380 19,615 62.5 

1957 68 1,889 182,551 57,297 33,455 21,339 63.8 

1958 74 1,962 186,155 60,717 36,356 23,309 64.1 

1959 77 2,197 187,576 67,720 40,149 26,250 65.4 

1960 80 2,259 189,816 88,818 44,812 28,758 64.2 

1961 81 2,314 192,947 93,727 48,803 29,859 61.2 

1962 83 2,258 186,468 97,353 51,648 31,606 61.2 

1963 82 2,144 176,477 100,083 52,860 32,964 62.4 

1964 77 2,010 167,503 99,333 54,447 33,965 62.4 

1965 73 1,891 158,077 102,351 54,444 34,561 63.5 

1966 71 1,724 145,964 98,307 53,012 34,805 65.7 

1967 74 1,650 140,657 103,566 53,761 34,412 64.0 

1968 67 1,637 141,623 117,013 56,444 36,490 64.6 

1969 67 1,628 144,275 122,319 61,026 39,219 64.3 

1970 62 1,588 143,411 125,721 65,104 40,063 61.5 

1971 62 1,529 141,347 142,934 67,872 40,268 59.3 

1972 62 1,487 136,881 144,749 68,719 40,938 59.6 

1973 61 1,355 131,565 144,738 66,229 40,519 61.2 

1974 61 1,312 126,805 146,264 67,778 39,293 58.0 

1975 56 1,315 123,855 150,666 69,249 40,106 57.9 

   
Measures of Growth in Federal Milk Orders 

Agricultural Marketing Service 

May 4, 2018 

MGFMO‐0518	 Page	3	

Year 

Number 

of 

Markets 

Number 

of Pool 

Handlers 

Number of 

Pooled Producers 

Population of 

Federal Milk 

Marketing 

Areas 

Total Receipts 

of Producer 

Milk 

Producer Milk 

Used as Class I 

Percent of 

Producer 

Milk Used 

as Class I 

(number) (thousands) (millions of pounds) (percent) 

1976 50 1,305 122,675 157,295 74,586 40,985 54.9 

1977 47 1,260 122,755 159,504 77,947 41,125 52.8 

1978 47 1,189 119,326 161,244 78,091 41,143 52.7 

1979 47 1,127 116,447 163,053 79,436 41,011 51.6 

1980 47 1,091 117,490 164,908 83,998 41,034 48.9 

1981 48 1,058 119,323 166,663 87,989 40,746 46.3 

1982 49 1,010 120,743 172,775 91,611 40,807 44.5 

1983 46 958 121,052 175,624 95,757 41,091 42.9 

1984 45 912 119,033 177,524 91,676 41,517 45.3 

1985 44 884 116,765 176,440 97,762 42,201 43.2 

1986 44 849 112,322 177,992 98,761 42,725 43.2 

1987 43 797 105,882 180,374 98,182 42,876 43.7 

1988 42 776 104,141 184,180 100,066 43,141 43.1 

1989 41 748 100,291 185,919 95,871 43,367 45.2 

1990 42 753 100,397 195,841 102,396 43,783 42.8 

1991 40 722 100,267 198,409 103,252 45,033 43.6 

1992 40 698 97,803 200,530 107,947 44,914 41.6 

1993 38 675 92,934 199,604 103,979 44,805 43.1 

1994 38 629 91,397 201,561 107,811 44,866 41.6 

1995 33 571 88,717 207,548 108,548 45,044 41.5 

1996  32  570    82,947   209,599   104,501   45,479   43.5

1997  31  570    78,422   208,379   105,224   44,917   42.7

1998  31  522    72,402   210,484   99,223   44,968   45.3

1999  31  487    69,008   212,118   104,479   45,216   43.3

2000 11 346 69,590 228,899 116,920 45,989 39.3 

 

2001 11 350 66,423 231,487 120,223 45,887 38.2 

2002 11 338 63,856 234,256 125,546 46,043 36.7 

2003 11 331 58,110 236,180 110,581 45,843 41.5 

2004 10 306 52,341 234,825 103,048 44,939 43.6 

2005 10 302 53,036 238,428 114,682 44,570 38.9 

   
Measures of Growth in Federal Milk Orders 

Agricultural Marketing Service 

May 4, 2018 

MGFMO‐0518	 Page	4	

Year 

Number 

of 

Markets 

Number 

of Pooled 

Handlers 

Number of 

Pooled 

Producers 

Population of 

Federal Milk 

Market Areas 

Total Receipts 

of Producer 

Milk 

Producer Milk 

Used as Class I 

Percent of 

Producer 

Milk Used 

as Class I 

 (number) (thousands) (millions of pounds) (percent) 

2006 10 314 52,725 239,142 120,618 45,304 37.6 

2007 10 312 49,782 241,000 114,407 45,226 39.5 

2008 10 333 47,859 242,988 115,867 44,989 38.8 

2009 10 251 46,677 245,445 123,430 45,262 36.7 

2010 10 251 45,918 247,031 126,909 44,970 35.4 

 

2011 10 241 43,654 247,675 126,879 44,383 35.0 

2012 10 237 40,750 250,724 122,388 43,492 35.5 

2013 10 225 40,048 251,201 132,100 42,742 32.4 

2014 10 223 38,391 255,184 129,420 41,420 32.0 

2015 10 214 36,118 256,526 126,126 41,206 32.7 

 

2016 10 216 34,693 258,172 133,846 41,140 30.7 

2017 10 217 32,988 262,240 135,502 40,642 30.0 

* Data not available. 
Measures of Growth in Federal Milk Orders 

Agricultural Marketing Service 

May 4, 2018 

MGFMO‐0518	 Page	5	

Year 

Percentage of All 

Milk Sold 

Milk Price at 3.5% 

Butterfat Content Average Daily 

Delivery per 

Producer 

Gross Value of Producer Milk 

Fluid 

Grade 

All 

Milk Class I Blend 

Per Pooled 

Producer 

All Pooled 

Producers 

 (percent) ($/cwt) (pounds) (dollars) (thousands) 

1947 * 21 4.65 4.34 302 5,024 682,407 

1948 * 22 5.29 4.97 301 5,713 779,079 

1949 * 23 4.67 4.03 327 5,019 717,748 

1950 41 25 4.51 3.93 326 4,914 769,442 

1951 44 27 5.13 4.59 320 5,605 965,900 

1952 46 30 5.37 4.85 356 6,598 1,166,246 

1953 49 31 4.91 4.31 387 6,355 1,166,015 

1954 49 31 4.62 4.01 399 6,098 1,135,019 

1955 51 32 4.67 4.08 420 6,510 1,227,815 

1956 51 33 4.90 4.24 466 7,534 1,384,955 

1957 53 34 4.87 4.51 502 8,147 1,487,153 

1958 56 36 4.72 4.40 535 8,500 1,582,310 

1959 60 40 4.79 4.43 586 9,466 1,775,583 

1960 64 43 4.88 4.47 648 10,482 1,989,615 

1961 67 45 4.91 4.45 704 11,131 2,147,656 

1962 70 47 4.80 4.14 761 11,854 2,210,330 

1963 70 48 4.78 4.15 821 12,814 2,261,437 

1964 70 48 4.87 4.23 888 14,174 2,374,137 

1965 70 48 4.93 4.31 944 15,300 2,418,526 

1966 70 48 5.55 4.95 994 18,526 2,630,908 

1967 71 49 5.85 5.17 1,056 20,321 2,858,351 

1968 74 52 6.23 5.53 1,089 22,561 3,195,087 

1969 77 56 6.50 5.74 1,164 24,892 3,591,293 

1970 79 59 6.74 5.95 1,244 27,636 3,963,311 

1971 80 60 6.90 6.08 1,316 29,893 4,225,340 

1972 78 60 7.10 6.31 1,372 32,439 4,400,288 

1973 78 60 8.03 7.31 1,386 37,461 4,928,514 

1974 78 61 9.35 8.36 1,464 45,376 5,753,852 

1975 78 63 9.36 8.64 1,532 49,233 6,097,768 
Measures of Growth in Federal Milk Orders 

Agricultural Marketing Service 

May 4, 2018 

MGFMO‐0518	 Page	6	

Year 

Percentage of All 

Milk Sold 

Milk Price at 3.5% 

Butterfat Average Daily 

Delivery per 

Producer 

Gross Value of Producer Milk 

Fluid 

Grade 

All 

Milk Class I Blend Per Pooled Producer 

All Pooled 

Producers 

(percent) ($/cwt) (pounds) (dollars) ($1,000) 

1976 79 65 10.70 9.75 1,661 60,277 7,394,486 

1977 80 66 10.59 9.69 1,740 62,692 7,695,764 

1978 80 67 11.40 10.57 1,793 70,528 8,415,787 

1979 80 67 12.88 11.97 1,870 83,262 9,695,637 

1980 80 67 13.77 12.86 1,954 93,685 11,007,001 

1981 80 68 14.69 13.63 2,021 102,354 12,213,199 

1982 81 69 14.63 13.53 2,079 104,573 12,626,510 

1983 82 70 14.69 13.53 2,168 109,142 13,211,805 

1984 81 70 14.41 13.33 2,104 104,935 12,490,729 

1985 80 70 13.88 12.61 2,294 107,871 12,595,522 

1986 80 71 13.60 12.38 2,413 111,581 12,515,451 

1987 80 71 13.90 12.51 2,542 118,402 12,529,800 

1988 79 71 13.42 12.14 2,627 119,261 12,419,974 

1989 75 68 14.51 13.30 2,614 129,744 13,012,796 

1990 77 70 15.55 13.78 2,796 142,324 14,289,567 

1991 76 71 13.30 12.11 2,821 121,479 12,180,354 

1992 77 73 14.57 13.12 3,017 146,452 14,323,698 

1993 73 69 14.19 12.89 3,073 145,350 13,507,974 

1994 75 71 14.75 13.16 3,232 156,253 14,281,193 

1995 75 71 14.19 12.79 3,350 157,754 13,995,454 

1996 72 69 16.19 14.64 3,442 187,713 15,570,261 

1997 71 69 14.36 13.10 3,676 178,424 13,992,366 

1998 66 64 16.14 14.92 3,755 202,770 14,681,340 

1999 67 65 16.24 14.09 4,148 216,794 14,960,544 

2000 72 70 14.24 12.11 4,590 207,913 14,468,892 

 

2001 75 73 16.96 14.90 4,959 275,642 18,308,968 

2002 77 76 13.69 11.91 5,387 239,520 15,294,802 

2003 67 65 14.10 12.12 5,178 242,066 14,066,672 

2004 62 61 17.56 15.74 5,352 324,119 16,965,368 

2005 66 65 17.13 15.07 5,904 334,626 17,747,577 

 

   
Measures of Growth in Federal Milk Orders 

Agricultural Marketing Service 

May 4, 2018 

MGFMO‐0518	 Page	7	

Year 

Percentage of All 

Milk Sold 

Milk Price at 3.5% 

Butterfat Average Daily 

Delivery per 

Producer 

Gross Value of Producer Milk 

Fluid 

Grade 

All 

Milk Class I Blend Per Pooled Producer 

All Pooled 

Producers 

(percent) ($/cwt) (pounds) (dollars) ($1,000) 

2006 68 67 14.59 12.86 6,264 303,429 15,998,288 

2007 63 62 20.81 19.19 6,297 452,097 22,507,219 

2008 61 62 20.78 18.24 6,613 453,886 21,722,538 

2009 66 66 14.40 12.44 7,242 339,698 15,856,077 

2010 67 66 18.25 16.07 7,572 444,038 20,389,201 

 

2011 66 65 21.97 19.87 7,963 577,538 25,211,996 

2012 62 61 20.39 18.05 8,229 542,121 22,091,337 

2013 67 66 21.80 19.44 9,047 641,295 25,682,588 

2014 63 63 26.14 23.54 9,236 793,728 30,472,016 

2015 61 61 19.21 16.70 9,559 583,173 21,063,042 

 

2016 64 64 17.70 15.38 10,525 593,364 20,585,571 

2017 64 63 19.31 16.96 11,243 696,651 22,981,139 

* Data not available 

 
Measures of Growth in Federal Milk Orders 

Agricultural Marketing Service 

May 4, 2018 

MGFMO‐0518	 Page	8	

Methodology: Growth in Federal Milk Order Markets 

Data: The Measures of Growth in Federal milk order markets is created using information on the handling of milk 

obtained from Federal milk marketing order personnel.

The number of Federal order markets and the number of handlers is at year end. 

The annual number of pooled producers is the simple average number of producers pooled each month during that 

year. 

The population of Federal milk marketing areas is obtained from published U.S. Census Annual Estimates of the 

Resident Population for Counties in U.S. Census years (1950, 1960, 1970, 1980, 1990, 2000, and 2010). Annual 

Federal order county populations are estimated by the Census Bureau for Federal order counties for the years 

between each U.S. Census. 

 

The receipts of producer milk and producer milk used in Class I reflects millions of pounds. Beginning in 1990, due 

to disadvantageous price situations in some markets, regulated handlers elected not to pool milk that normally would 

have been associated with the order. This has reduced, sometimes substantially, the volume of producer milk receipts 

reported for some markets. This can also affect significantly the comparability of other "Measures of Growth" based 

on this statistic. 

The percent used as Class I is the percentage of all milk pooled that is used to produce Class I fluid products as 

defined by the Code of Federal Regulation (CFR 1000.15). 

The percentage of all milk sold is the amount of producer milk pooled on Federal orders as a percentage of the total 

amount of milk sold to U.S. plants and dealers, both as fluid grade (Grade A) and all milk sold. The amount of milk 

sold to U.S. plants and dealers is obtained from the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service Milk Production, 

Disposition, and Income, 2017 Summary, ISSN: 1949-1506, issued April 2018. 

The milk price at 3.5% butterfat content is the weighted average Federal order minimum regulated milk price for 

milk at a standardized 3.5% butterfat content. Milk prices are simple averages for 1950-65 and weighted averages for 

1970 to date. Milk prices are based on the blend (uniform) price adjusted for the butterfat content, and starting in 

1990, other milk components of producer milk. 

The average daily delivery of milk per producer is calculated by dividing producer receipts by the number of 

producers pooled. 

The annual gross value of receipts of producer milk per producer is calculated by dividing the total value of all 

pooled milk as reported by the Market Administrators divided by the simple average of the number of producers 

pooled each month during the year. 

The annual gross value of all receipts of producer milk is the total value of all milk pooled for each respective year as 

reported by the Market Administrators. 

Reliability: The AMS audit staff periodically perform on-site audits on the amounts of producer milk pooled to 

ensure accurate reporting of pool, utilization, and price information. 
Measures of Growth in Federal Milk Orders 

Agricultural Marketing Service 

May 4, 2018 

MGFMO‐0518	 Page	9	

Information Contacts 

Listed below are the specialists in the Agricultural Marketing Service, Dairy Program, Market Information Branch, to 

contact for additional information. E-mail inquiries may be sent to dpp@ams.usda.gov 

Lorie Warren, Chief, Market Information ............................................................. (202) 720-4405 

Dairy Products Mandatory Reporting Program 

Patsy Emmons, Dairy Products Marketing Specialist, Coordinator ......................................... (202) 720-6491 

Kerry Siekmann, Dairy Products Marketing Specialist .................................................... (952) 277-2363 

Jessica Crum, Dairy Products Marketing Specialist ........................................................ (202) 260-9091 

 

Federal Milk Order Information Program 

Kerry Siekmann, Dairy Products Marketing Specialist, Coordinator .................................... (952) 277-2363 

Randal Stoker, Dairy Products Marketing Specialist .......................................................(202) 690-1932 

Daniel Manzoni, Dairy Products Marketing Specialist .....................................................(202) 720-2352 

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