USDA: Milk production will slightly decrease in the EU in 2023, the same as the dairy census

Milk production will fall slightly this year in the European Union, to 144 million tons, according to the latest estimates from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), due to the decrease in the dairy herd of just over 100,000 heads Compared to last year, it has not been fully offset by increases in productivity per animal. In its latest report on the world market for milk and dairy products, the USDA notes that in the first five months of the year Community production grew due to improvements in yield. However, recent environmental and animal welfare policies introduced in many EU Member States have led to herd reduction and slowed productivity growth. A particularly significant drop in the number of dairy cows in the Netherlands is expected due to the regulations on reducing emissions from farms. The USDA points out that complying with the new conditions places farmers before a dilemma: invest in adopting new modes of production or abandon milk production and switch ...