Vermont dairy industry
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Dairy is a primary source of agricultural output in the state of Vermont. As of December 2021[update], the state had 568 dairy farms milking cattle, sheep, and/or goats which produced 2.5 billion pounds of milk annually.[1] Vermont ranks 15th in the United States for raw milk production.[2]
Dairy farming in Vermont, like in much of the US, is increasingly scaling upwards due to market and governmental pressures. Each year, Vermont loses dairy farms.[3] In 2021, the number of dairy farms shrank by 6.9%, a decline of 68 farms from the previous year.[1]
Family farms with small herds of dairy cows historically defined Vermont agriculture and the cultural landscape of the state. A 2019 survey found that Vermont's dairy industry is considered very important to 72% of Vermonters.[4]
Vermont produces cheese, butter, and yogurt that are consumed across the United States. There are over 140 firms in the state that process milk into dairy products.[5] Some of its better known producers are Vermont Creamery, Cabot Creamery, Ehrmann Commonwealth Dairy, Jasper Hill Farm, and the Grafton Village Cheese Company. The Crowley Cheese Factory in Healdville, Vermont, is believed to be the oldest indigenous manufacturer of cheese in the United States.
The dairy industry is celebrated in various parades and festivals throughout the year, the two most notable being the Vermont Dairy Festival in Enosburg Falls and the Strolling of the Heifers parade in Brattleboro. Each year, the Vermont Cheese Council runs the Vermont Cheesemakers Festival.[6]