Retail Dairy Sales Higher During COVID-19 Pandemic

Monday was National Milk day, and to mark the occasion, the National Milk Producers Federation shared some good news beleaguered U.S. dairy industry.

“From March 8 to March 22, as stay-at-home orders and business closures proliferated around the country, dairy products flew off store shelves,” the group said in an announcement. Milk sales were 43% higher than during the same period a year ago, while yogurt rose 31%, ice cream sales gained 40%, and cheese sales also climbed 76%.”

The NMPF added butter sales more than doubled during the same period.

However, the federation also points out that, “Pre-coronavirus, about half of all dairy sales came from outside the home. Even as retail consumers increased dairy buying, sales to restaurants, schools, and cafeterias dropped sharply. That price turbulence led to sharp declines in the USDA’s milk price forecast for 2020.” The organization says that’s a big reason why federal assistance for dairy farms has been so important.

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