RISE OF DAIRY: South Dakota sees spike in milk cows, decline in farms

Dairy farmers say processing plants are at capacity

(Courtesy of Amber Kipp)

The South Dakota dairy industry is booming, but producers say they might be hitting their historic peak.

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Recently released U.S. Department of Agriculture data shows the number of dairy cows in South Dakota reached 208,000, up more than 70 percent since 2019 and more than double where dairy numbers were a little more than a decade ago. The state’s dairies are now producing more than a billion dollars of milk, butter, and cheese while generating a nearly $4 billion impact to the state’s economy, a reality being celebrated by Gov. Kristi Noem and the Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED).

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