Let’s Celebrate the South Carolina Dairy Industry
Each June we celebrate National Dairy Month. National Dairy Month highlights the dairy industry in the United States, with many in the agriculture sector celebrating through events, educational opportunities, and—of course—a glass of milk!
In honor of National Dairy Month this June, we will be looking at the impact of dairy in each state within The Dairy Alliance’s eight-state region: Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia.
So far, we have highlighted the dairy industry in Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, and North Carolina. The next state is South Carolina!
South Carolina became a state in 1788. Its land is comprised of 30,055.8 square miles. Today, South Carolina has a population of roughly 5 million people. The state beverage is milk, which is perfect for June’s festivities!
According to the 2023 USDA and NASS Data compiled by the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics, South Carolina has 25 dairy farms with a typical herd of about 320 milking cows. Each of these approximately 8,000 dairy cows produces an average of 7.1 gallons of milk per day. The average value of a day’s milk per cow was about $14 in 2023. In 2023, a dairy cow in South Carolina cost about $1,610. The total amount of milk produced in 2023 in South Carolina equaled 17.8 million gallons, or 153.08 million pounds.
The milk collected from these farms can be used to make a variety of dairy products. You can easily find local milk according to the code on the packaging. Simply locate the code on the product and plug it into a locator to find where your milk is from. You’ll begin to recognize the codes and notice when your milk is from a town over or just across the state line. You may be surprised by how much of your dairy is local. Within 48 hours of leaving the dairy farm, milk is on store shelves, so you will discover a variety of local milk options to enjoy every day.
These dairy farmers are part of your community. You can explore some of South Carolina’s dairy farms through virtual farm tours, including the Dorn family of Hickory Hill Dairy Farm. Meet some of the state’s dairy farm families here.
The top three milk-producing counties in South Carolina are Newberry, Bamberg, and Orangeburg.
According to the International Dairy Foods Association’s Dairy Delivers economic map, the United States’ dairy industry supports more than 3.2 million jobs that generate $49 billion in direct wages and $794 billion in overall economic impact. The direct economic impact of the South Carolina dairy industry is $1,402,356,500. There are 13,193 direct jobs and $411,840,600 in direct wages. South Carolina contributes $436,914,400 in total taxes and $8,317,000 in total annual exports.
In addition to the economic impact, the industry also creates delicious dairy foods for locals to enjoy! The most consumed dairy product in South Carolina is cheese, followed closely by ice cream. And really, are you surprised by these beloved foods?
From the farm to your table, local dairy farmers are positively impacting your life. This National Dairy Month, raise a glass to the local dairy industry.
This National Dairy Month, follow along as we explore each state’s part of the nation’s dairy industry.
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