According to data released by the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA), America’s dairy processors will have invested more than $11 billion in new and expanded manufacturing capacity across 19 states, including Kansas, by the end of 2028. These new and upgraded facilities, of which there are more than 50, will add to the billions of dollars of new processing capacity that has come online in the past decade.
This continual growth is in response to surging consumer demand for dairy products. IDFA data shows U.S. milk production is expected to grow by 15 billion pounds by 2030 to meet consumer needs. Sales of yogurt, shakes, smoothies, cottage cheese, whey protein powder, milk products and more have risen sharply. Cottage cheese sales alone have surged by about 20% in the U.S. in the year leading up to June 2025, according to Circana, a data analytics company. Additionally, U.S. dairy exports also are growing, as buyers and consumers in South and Central America, Southeast Asia and the Middle East spend their increasing incomes on safe, reliable and affordable U.S. dairy nutrition.
“The U.S. dairy industry is a vital part of the nation’s manufacturing economy, contributing $779.45 billion in overall economic impact, more than 3.05 million jobs that generate $197.6 billion in wages and more than $83 billion in taxes to state and local economies,” said IDFA President and Chief Executive Officer Michael Dykes, DVM. “Our industry’s $11 billion investment in new processing capacity in the United States reflects the confidence dairy companies have in the future of American agriculture and their commitment to meeting growing domestic and global demand for nutritious dairy foods.”