Dairy in Oregon: Building upon a Proud Oregon Tradition

Dairy farming in Oregon dates back to the 1840s. Fast forward 176 years, and today Oregon’s dairy industry includes 228 dairy farm families and 31 processors who provide more than $1 billion in economic impacts annually.

Oregon’s 126,000 cows produce roughly 2.6 billion pounds – more than 302 million gallons – of milk annually. Milk is the official beverage of the State of Oregon.

The state consistently ranks among the best in the nation for milk quality, which supports the production of award winning cheeses, ice cream, yogurt, butter, fluid milk and much more. Approximately 70% of dairy products made in Oregon are consumed outside of the state, including domestic and international markets.

DAIRY’S CONTRIBUTION TO OREGON’S ECONOMY
Milk is Oregon’s fourth most valuable commodity after only cattle, greenhouse and nursery products and hay. In terms of agricultural exports, dairy products are Oregon’s fifth most valuable commodity after seeds, fruits and nuts, wheat and vegetables.

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• DAIRY DELIVERS: Feeding Families, Fueling Oregon’s Economy
• State of the Oregon Dairy Industry 2021