California dairy worth $21 billion to state economy

May 15, 2015

Creates a ripple effect of nearly $65 billion

According to a California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB) study, the dairy industry in California was responsible for about $21 billion to the state’s gross state product in 2014.

Dairy farmers in California were also responsible for selling upwards of $9.4 billion of milk.

Dairy cow

The CMAB study that was completed by the University of California Agricultural Issues Center (AIC), concluded that when inputs, raw milk and wholesale milk product sales, exports opportunities and the 189,000 jobs the industry created were added to the equation, the dairy industry alone contributed about $65 billion to California’s economy in 2014.

"The dairy industry's contributions are vital to California's economy, from creating jobs to stimulating local and regional economies to providing nutritious and enjoyable products to consumers everywhere," said John Talbot, CEO at the California Milk Advisory Board. "A large number of California residents depend on the dairy industry for employment and these jobs would not exist without it."

Talbot credits the dairy farmers and their “improved dairy practices and management” as integral parts of the dairy industry’s success.

In 1984, dairy farmers were producing about 15,000 pounds of milk per cow. In 2014, that number was about 24,000 pounds.

It’s estimated the farmers are applying about 23% less water on their fields than they did in the 1980s and yet have seen their crop yields increase by an average of 40%.

California has lead the United States in milk production since 1993 when it exceeded Wisconsin’s output. The state accounts for nearly 20% of the whole country’s milk production.

Tell us your thoughts about the dairy industry’s impact in California. What makes it such a great place for dairy production?

Video: Sweetener Effects on Gut Health - Dr. Kwangwook Kim

In this episode of The Swine Nutrition Blackbelt Podcast, Dr. Kwangwook Kim, Assistant Professor at Michigan State University, discusses the use of non-nutritive sweeteners in nursery pig diets. He explains how sucralose and neotame influence feed intake, gut health, metabolism, and the frequency of diarrhea compared to antibiotics. The conversation highlights mechanisms beyond palatability, including hormone signaling and nutrient transport. Listen now on all major platforms!

“Receptors responsible for sweet taste are present not only in the mouth but also along the intestinal tract.”

Meet the guest: Dr. Kwangwook Kim / kwangwook-kim is an Assistant Professor at Michigan State University, specializing in swine nutrition and feed additives under disease challenge models. He earned his M.S. and Ph.D. in Animal Sciences from the University of California, Davis, where he focused on intestinal health and metabolic responses in pigs. His research evaluates alternatives to antibiotics, targeting gut health and performance in nursery pigs.