Export Overview

U.S. cows' milk production is the largest of any individual country in the world, with 189.7 billion pounds produced in 2008. From this vast milk supply, the United States produces and exports a variety of high-quality dairy products to destinations around the world.

In 2008, U.S. exports of whey, lactose, milk powder, cheese, and other dairy products were valued at $3.82 billion, up 25 percent from the prior year, and twice the amount sold in 2006. Export volume totaled 2.55 billion lbs. of U.S. milk solids, up 16 percent from the year before.

Mexico ($925 million export value in 2008), Southeast Asia ($741 million) and Canada ($487) remained the largest destinations for U.S. dairy products.

In 2008, 10.8 percent of U.S. milk production (on a total-solids basis) was sold overseas.

In 2008, the United States posted a trade surplus. Imports totaled $3.32 billion, $504 million less than exports.

Whey

• The U.S. is the second largest whey producer in the world.
  
  
• In 2008, U.S. exports of whey proteins were 737 million lbs., down 20 percent from the year before. Value totaled $759 million. High prices from 2007 had a severe negative impact on global demand. Sales were down across all categories. Exports of sweet whey decreased 24 percent to 444 million lbs. Sales of whey protein concentrate (WPC) and other modified whey proteins dropped 13 percent to 267 million lbs. and exports of whey protein isolate (WPI) fell 14 percent to 26 million lbs.
  
  
• However, shipments of whey proteins to China (our largest market), increased 23 percent in 2008 and exports to Southeast Asia (our next largest market) dropped just 3 percent. Significant sales were lost to Canada and Mexico, down 44 percent; Japan, down 19 percent; South Korea, down 51 percent and South America, down 4 percent.
  
  
• The United States exported 49 percent of the whey proteins it produced in 2008.
  
  

Skim Milk Powder/Nonfat Dry Milk

• In 2008, the U.S. produced 1.5 billion lbs. of SMP/NDM, the most of any individual country in the world.
  
  
• The U.S. shipped 863 million lbs. of SMP/NDM in 2008, up 52 percent from 2007. By value, exports of SMP/NDM totaled $1.4 billion. Shipments to Mexico, the largest single market for the United States, increased 58 percent.
  
  
• The United States exported 47 percent of the SMP/NDM it produced last year.
  
  

Cheese

• At 10 billion lbs., the United States, as a single country, is the largest cheese producer in the world.
  
  
• Cheese exports in 2008 hit a record 290 million lbs., up 32 percent from the prior year. Value was $570 million. Shipments to Mexico–long the number one market for U.S. cheese–increased 10 percent. Exporters also broadened their sales to other markets, posting gains in the Middle East/North Africa (+145 percent), Southeast Asia (+78 percent), South Korea (+56 percent) and the Caribbean and Central America (+40 percent).
  
  
• The United States exported 3 percent of the cheese it produced in 2008.
  
  

Lactose

• The U.S. had a 37% share of the global lactose production in 2008.
  
  
• U.S. lactose exports were 409 million lbs. in 2008, up two percent from the previous year. Major markets remain Southeast Asia, Japan, China and Mexico.
  
  
• The U.S. exported 55 percent of the lactose produced in 2008.