Dairy Doing Well with Consumers, Export Markets

 

In the face of negative reports about traditional dairy, the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) has released statistics showing growth of dairy products amount U.S. domestic consumers as well as export markets.  IDFA represents all parts of the dairy supply chain—dairy cooperatives (farmers), processors (milk, cheese, ice cream, yogurt, ingredients), food retailers, and suppliers.

Domestic Consumption Grows Despite Pandemic

Americans’ love for dairy products continued to grow last year—not shrink or decline—despite major shocks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Since the USDA began tracking per capita dairy consumption in the 1970s, the trend has continued upward for five straight decades, increasing a whopping 22% since 1975. Americans now consume more than 650 pounds of dairy products per year.

In 2020, comfort and indulgence was king: domestic ice cream per capita consumption rose 4% over 2019, yogurt consumption jumped 3%, and butter notched a 2% increase. Fluid milk consumption stayed flat (141 pounds per person, per year) for the first time in 13 years. Americans eat more dairy than we drink–in the past decade, domestic per capita cheese consumption has increased 15% while domestic per capita butter consumption jumped 29%. We also include dairy in all meals and occasions as well as for fitness and recovery, to live a healthy life, and to celebrate those special moments.

With a greater focus on producing sustainable foods, dairy will continue to grow as a category well into the future.

Dairy Exports Reaching Record Heights

At the same time, the world’s love for American dairy products also continues to reach new heights. Despite significant disruptions in trade throughout 2020, the U.S. exported nearly 2.4 million metric tons of dairy goods last year–a record-setting mark.

Export volumes were boosted by 10 percent over 2019, setting an all-time record for export volumes in one year and pushing export values to more than $6 billion for the first time since 2014. Export volumes and value were up over 2019 levels in 9 of our top 10 markets. Some Asian markets—China, Philippines, Indonesia, and Malaysia—saw increases between 40-50% in value over 2019, with correlating increases in volume to those markets.

And, despite significant transportation issues continuing to plague American competitiveness abroad, we can expect yet another banner year for U.S. dairy exports this year. Through the first half of 2021, U.S. dairy exports were up double digits over 2020.