News

Illinois dairy industry showing stability; helping those in need

The director of commodity programs and food systems with the Illinois Farm Bureau says the state’s dairy industry seems to have stabilized.

Tasha Bunting says the industry contraction that’s been experienced in recent years has leveled off.

“We are still seeing some of those dairies exit the industry, but we are not decreasing cow numbers as we were just a couple of years ago.”  She says, “So, it’s encouraging that we’re starting to see some updating of equipment and updating of parlors.”

She tells Brownfield there’s also been an uptick in local dairies.

“We are seeing a little bit more interest in doing on farm bottling, single producer bottling, or single farm bottling.”  She says, “That is helping maybe find a niche market for some of our dairy producers.”

The USDA ranks Illinois 20^th in the nation in number of milk cows on farms in 2025.

In honor of June Dairy month, and to assist the state’s food insecure, the Illinois Milk Producers Association recently donated 24,000 pounds of milk between three Illinois food banks.  Bunting says…

“With this year’s donation, we’re just over 105,000 servings.”  She says, “Times are a little bit tougher than maybe they have been for a while, so this is just one way that the Illinois Milk Producers and our dairy farmers in Illinois are able to give back and help contribute to our communities.”

The donation was made in partnership with Prairie Farms, Illinois Farm Bureau, Illinois Corn Marketing Board (ICMB), Illinois Soybean Association (ISA), St. Louis District Dairy Council (SLDDC) and Midwest Dairy.

AUDIO:  Tashsa Bunting – IL Farm Bureau

 

Photo submitted by Illinois Milk Producers Association.

Pictured from left to right: Tasha Bunting, Illinois Milk Producers Association executive director; Gretchen Nollman, River Bend Food Bank director of operations; Mike Dralle, Prairie Farms sales representative; Aaron Barton, River Bend Food Bank Galesburg site director; Hailey Hennenfent, Knox County Farm Bureau manager; Kendra Anderson, Midwest Dairy Association. (Catrina Rawson, Illinois Farm Bureau)