Dairy Industry Facts
Get the Facts!
With less than 2 percent of the U.S. population involved in farming today, many people don’t have the opportunity to visit a dairy farm. Add the fact that most people are three to four generations removed from the farm, and a pretty big information gap has evolved. That can make it difficult to sort fact from fiction. Here are answers to some of the most common questions about dairy farms and the dairy industry.
Below you will find many fact sheets available to help you learn more about all aspects of dairy.
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Animal Care Fact Sheet - A cow’s health is the top priority to dairy farmers. Dairy farmers know that healthy, comfortable, and well-treated animals produce high-quality, wholesome dairy foods for people around the country and world. |
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Dairy Farms and the Environment Fact Sheet -Most dairy farmers live and work on their farms. It’s important to them to protect the land, water and air for their animals, families, and surrounding community, as well as for future generations. |
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Milk and Hormones Fact Sheet - Bovine somatotropin (bST) is a naturally occurring protein hormone in cows. bST helps young cattle grow and adult cows produce milk. It is not a steroid, but rather a protein hormone. A small amount of this hormone is naturally present in all milk, including organic products. When you drink milk, bST is completely broken down by digestion like any other protein. |
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Organic Milk Fact Sheet - The difference between organically and conventionally produced milk is in the process used, rather than the quality or nutritional value of the food. All milk in the U.S. is subject to the same strict federal standards for quality, purity and sanitation. |
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Raw Milk Fact Sheet - Raw milk is milk that has not been pasteurized before consumption. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend drinking only pasteurized milk, because raw milk may contain harmful bacteria such as E. coli O157:H7, Listeria and Salmonella that can cause life-threatening illnesses. This recommendation has been affirmed by the American Medical Association and the American Academy of Pediatrics, among others. |
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Dairy Farm Safety - Learn how your local dairy farmers keep milk safe from farm to fridge. |
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Critical Steps to Quality Milk - Dairy farmers across the United States follow industry accepted best management practices to ensure that their dairy cows are healthy and well cared for, that the environment on and around their farms is protected, and that the milk they produce is safe and of high quality. While many factors affect the milk cows produce, here are the most critical steps for producing high-quality, wholesome and safe milk, starting at the source—the cow—and ending at the consumer’s table. |
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How Milk is Made Fact Sheet - Learn how a cow makes milk! |
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Dairy Farmers the Original Recyclers - Did you know dairy farmers were the original recyclers? Learn more! |
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Cattle By-Products - Dairy cows produce more than just milk! Test your knowledge. |
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Cow Care for Kids - A cow’s health is the top priority to dairy farmers, learn more! |
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Dairy From Farm to Fridge - Follow the steps milk takes at the farm to arrive to your refrigerator. |
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