Fewer Texas dairy farmers producing more milk

From Staff Reports

October 31, 2002 -- In keeping with the national trend, fewer Texas dairy farmers are producing more milk.

In the latest statistics released by the Texas Milk Market Administrator, the Lone Star State in September 2002 had a total of 859 producers generating 386.7 million pounds of milk; compared to 915 producers and 352.9 million pounds of milk in September 2001.

In comparing September 2002 to the preceding month, August, eight less producers (851) added more milk to the supply (395.4 million pounds) in the state.

The report shows the top three milk-producing counties in Texas holding their positions, ranked on volume of milk - Erath, Hopkins, and Comanche counties, respectively.

Erath County, in September 2002, had 118 dairy farmers producing 93,756,580 pounds of milk. That compares to 117 farmers in August 2002 and 96,111,421 pounds of milk. A year ago, the county showed 131 producers and 95.5 million pounds of milk for the month of September.

Milk production in Hopkins County showed to be down by about three million pounds in a September-to-August 2002 comparison, even though the number of producers remained the same at 165. In September, those 165 producers generated 35,637,404 pounds of milk and 38,585,677 pounds in August. When looking at September 2001, Hopkins County had 173 producers putting out about what they did last month - 35,037,938 pounds of milk.

Comanche County added one dairy farmer in September to August's total. In September, 38 producers generated 35,560,893 pounds of milk. In August, 37 dairy farmers contributed 33,222,521 pounds of milk. A year ago, 41 producers and 33,347,483 pounds of milk were listed on the September 2001 report.

For the first time in many years, Wood County was not included in the Top Ten Texas Counties milk report. In August 2002 report, 44 producers generated 9.4 million pounds of milk, down slightly from the 46 producers and 9.3 million pounds of milk generated in September 2001.

For September 2002, the increasing number of dairies in the South Plains and West Central Texas regions have apparently bumped the small East Texas county off the list. In the South Plains region, Bailey County has five producers who generate as much as Wood County traditionally does - a little over 9 million pounds (for the month of September). In the western region of West Central Texas, Tom Green County's eight producers also put in slightly over 9 million pounds of milk for the month.