U.S. Dairy Exports Up 30% in 2011

ARLINGTON, Va.The U.S. Dairy Export Council released its 2011 Year In Review" report that found the United States set multiple export records for the year, including total export value of $4.82 billion, a gain of around 30% over 2010 and $1 billion over 2008 when U.S. dairy exports soured due in part to the melamine scandal in China and global financial crisis.

The report takes a look at global dairy market highlights from 2011, including the forces of supply and demand and the outlook for the sector moving forward. The report recaps the findings of the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy's Globalization Refresh, the impending opportunities of soon-to-be implemented free trade agreements, the potential of ongoing trade talks and the challenge of non-tariff trade barriers. It reviews global milk production and consumption trends and examines U.S. export performance in key product categories, including cheese, whey proteins and milk powder. It concludes with the annual at-a-glance summary of U.S. export volume by product and market.

Of particular interest is how overseas markets have grown from a theoretical opportunity to an integral piece of the overall U.S. dairy industry. In 2011, U.S. dairy suppliers shipped 3.242 billion pounds or more than 13.3% of the milk solids produced in this country overseas, up from 12.8% or 3.041 billion pounds in 2010. In dollar value, U.S. dairy exports cleared $4.82 billion for the yeara gain of around 30% over 2010 and $1 billion over the previous record set in 2008.

Click here to view the entire report.