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HARTINGTON — June may be known for warmer weather, ball games and the start of summer, but for Nebraska farm families it also brings a reminder of one of agriculture’s steady, around-theclock industries.
June is National Dairy Month, a time set aside to recognize the farmers, cows, processors, haulers, veterinarians, nutritionists and ag businesses that help move milk from the farm to the family table.
That work continues every day in Nebraska. According to USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service figures, Nebraska had 50,000 milk cows in 2025. Those cows produced 1.235 billion pounds of milk, valued at more than $260 million.
That equals roughly 3.38 million pounds of milk per day. While dairy may not always get the same attention in Nebraska as beef, corn, soybeans or hogs, it remains an important part of the state’s agricultural economy. Dairy farms also tie directly into the broader farm economy, using corn, silage, hay and other feedstuffs grown by Nebraska producers.
While dairy was once huge in Cedar County, today dairy is a smaller piece of the overall ag picture, but it still matters.
The 2022 Census of Agriculture listed $4.457 million in Cedar County sales from milk from cows. Cedar County ranked 14th in the state in that category.
The same Census of Agriculture profile showed just how much agri culture drives the local economy.
Cedar County farms sold more than $610 million in agricultural products in 2022, with sales nearly evenly divided between crops and livestock, poultry and related products.
National Dairy Month began in 1937 as National Milk Month, originally created to encourage milk consumption during a time of surplus production. It has since grown into a broader recognition of dairy farm families, dairy nutrition, innovation and the role dairy plays in local communities.
In Nebraska, that role stretches far beyond the farm gate. The Nebraska Department of Agriculture’s Dairy Division oversees sanitation and quality standards for the industry. The division conducts on-site inspections of dairy farms, milk haulers, manufacturing plants and fluid milk bottling plants as part of a far m-toconsumer program designed to help ensure a safe and wholesome dairy supply.
The University of Nebraska-Lincoln also plays a role through Nebraska Extension, which provides science-based programs, resources and information to dairy producers. UNL’s dairy specialists work with producers on sustainability, resilience, profitability, stewardship and animal well-being.
The state has also been working to expand value-added processing.
In 2025, DARI Processing broke ground on a milk processing facility in Seward that is expected to process 1.8 million pounds of milk per day when it reaches full capacity. The project is also expected to create about 70 full-time jobs.
Gov. Jim Pillen said at the time that Nebraska should be working to capture more value from the commodities produced here rather than shipping them out of state.
That point is especially important in dairy, where processing capacity can affect how far milk must be hauled and how much v alue stays close to home.
For consumers, dairy often shows up in familiar ways — a glass of milk, a slice of cheese, a cup of yogurt or a scoop of ice cream. For Nebraska farm families, however, it represents much more: early mornings, late nights, animal care, feed production, food safety and a constant connection between agriculture and the people it serves.
That is why National Dairy Month remains more than a calendar observance.
It is a chance to recognize an industry that helps feed families, supports rural communities and remains an important part of Nebraska agriculture.
