The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) Secretary Ben Brancel issued this message in honor of June Dairy Month:

Wisconsin has much to be proud of this June Dairy Month as it reflects on the strong history and dynamic future of the state’s dairy industry. From the red barns and modern structures dotting the Wisconsin landscape to the methane digesters converting animal waste to green energy, the state’s dairy industry has continued to modernize and innovate to be competitive.

There is no other state that has the infrastructure, support network, and resources available to dairy producers like that of Wisconsin. Residents benefit from the 1.26 million cows on over 12,000 dairy farms that call Wisconsin home, as every cow in the state generates over $20,000 in annual economic activity. Many other businesses rely on these dairy farms to be successful including veterinarians, nutritionists, educators, and manufacturers. Wisconsin’s dairy industry generates $26.5 billion in economic impact annually and accounts for more than 146,000 jobs.

Wisconsin produced over 26 billion pounds of milk in 2010, breaking the all-time record production of 25 billion pounds set in 1988. While cows and dairy are successful producing high-quality milk, what processors and cheesemakers do with milk puts Wisconsin a step ahead.

Wisconsin has over 600 types, styles, and varieties of cheeses that are sold around the world. Our over 1,200 licensed cheesemakers make a quarter of the nation’s cheese, ranking Wisconsin as the top cheese-producing state. Additionally, Wisconsin is the leading producer of specialty cheese, producing 552 million pounds last year or 21% of Wisconsin’s total cheese production. Dairyland cheese also wins more awards than any other state or nation, as Wisconsin cheeses claimed 73 awards at the 2010 World Cheese Championships.