By Blake Jackson
Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding convened the first meeting of the newly established Pennsylvania Dairy Development Committee to identify strategies for expanding milk production and strengthening the state's dairy industry.
The initiative follows a $1.2 billion investment by Chobani to establish its first dairy operation in Pennsylvania, a project expected to create 900 jobs and increase demand for Pennsylvania milk by 30%.
The committee will serve in an advisory capacity, bringing together representatives from the dairy supply chain, government agencies, financial institutions, and academic organizations. Its members will recommend approaches to help dairy producers meet rising demand and support the continued growth of Pennsylvania's $11.8 billion dairy industry.
“Pennsylvania is extremely proud of the historic $1.2 billion investment the Shapiro Administration fought to bring to Pennsylvania, demonstrating faith that our dairy industry is ready to grow and continue leading the nation,” Secretary Redding said.
“But we have work to do. Increasing demand for Pennsylvania milk by 30% will do more to increase prices paid to farmers for milk than any of the pricing reforms the industry has been seeking for over a decade,” Sec. Redding continued.
“Looking at what our industry needs now, and down the road, then investing to support those needs and spur private investment is the right recipe for growth. This committee brings the right people and expertise to the conversation to help our industry grow, compete, and continue leading the nation.”
Committee participants include state departments, legislative agriculture committees, dairy organizations, Chobani, cooperatives, individual farmers, agricultural lenders and universities, along with environmental engineering representatives.
Pennsylvania's 2026-27 budget also provides funding for dairy-related programs, including $215,000 for the All-American Dairy Show, $169,000 for youth livestock shows and $1.45 million for the Pennsylvania Center for Dairy Excellence.
Buy local initiatives, including PA Preferred and the Scooped: An Ice Cream Trail, promote Pennsylvania dairy products and connect consumers with local producers.
Additional support includes $2.5 million annually for agricultural research grants and $30 million invested to date through the Ag Innovation Grant Program.
Across two funding rounds, 37 dairy projects have received nearly $4.9 million for improvements such as robotic milking systems, animal health monitoring, nutrient management, automation and waste-to-energy technology.
Pennsylvania has 4,940 dairy farms and 468,000 cows producing approximately 10 billion pounds of milk annually, ranking the state eighth nationally in milk production. With an average herd size of 100 cows, two-thirds of Pennsylvania's milk comes from farms with fewer than 500 cows.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-dimasobko
Categories: Pennsylvania, Government & Policy, Livestock, Dairy Cattle