The U.S. dairy industry is poised to establish a new “golden age” of U.S. dairy trade, with exports reaching $8.2 billion in 2024—the second-highest total export value ever and a $223 million year-over-year increase, according to new data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Mexico and Canada—U.S. dairy’s top two global trading partners representing more than 40% of U.S. dairy exports—each imported record values of dairy at $2.47 billion and $1.14 billion respectively. Central American markets also surged, with Costa Rica, Guatemala and El Salvador all importing record values of U.S. dairy. U.S. dairy exports to China declined in 2024, marking the lowest year since 2020.
“The U.S. dairy industry is ready to capitalize on a renewed trade agenda in 2025,” said Michael Dykes, president and CEO, International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA). “Consumers in the United States and around the world continue to demand more U.S. dairy because we provide an assortment of delicious, nutritious and affordable dairy products. From award-winning cheeses, to high-value whey ingredients and milk powders used to make life-saving products for children and adults to safe and nutritious ESL milk, U.S. dairy is known throughout the world for quality and reliability.
“Our industry is poised to become the world’s leading supplier of dairy products thanks to the resilience and innovation of the American dairy industry. To do that, we need a trade agenda that prioritizes market access and ensures a level playing field. For too long, our exports to Canada have yet to fulfill the promises of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) because Canadian policies continue to prevent American exporters from filling their tariff-rate quotas. Demand remains soft in key markets such as China and Southeast Asia, including the Philippines, Vietnam, and Malaysia, illustrating the need for a strategic approach to trade with markets in the Asia Pacific region. Overall, U.S. dairy exports are performing well, but we can do more. With new trade agreements that remove obstacles and increase market access, we wouldn’t just break records—we would redefine the global dairy landscape for decades to come.”
The U.S. dairy industry, which supports more than 3.2 million jobs in the United States and pumps almost $800 billion into the U.S. economy, has invested more than $8 billion in new processing capacity that will come online in the next few years. The industry relies on trade agreements to open new markets and increase exports. After being a net importer of dairy products a decade ago, the United States now exports $8 billion worth of dairy products to 145 countries. U.S. dairy exports nearly tripled since the early 2000s, and the United States became the world’s third-largest dairy product exporter behind New Zealand and the European Union (EU). Today, approximately one day’s worth of milk produced on America’s dairy farms each week is exported, or roughly 18% of all production. As U.S. milk production continues to increase over the next decade, expanding markets will become even more vital to ensure the global competitiveness of the industry and to boost the American economy.
The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA), Washington, D.C., represents the nation’s dairy manufacturing and marketing industry, which supports more than 3.2 million jobs that generate $49 billion in direct wages and $794 billion in overall economic impact. IDFA’s diverse membership ranges from multinational organizations to single-plant companies, from dairy companies and cooperatives to food retailers and suppliers, all on the cutting edge of innovation and sustainable business practices. Together, they represent most of the milk, cheese, ice cream, yogurt and cultured products, and dairy ingredients produced and marketed in the United States and sold throughout the world. Delicious, safe and nutritious, dairy foods offer unparalleled health and consumer benefits to people of all ages.