Rate of milk production slows in Wis., Minn.

Published 11:00 am Thursday, May 26, 2011

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The rate of milk production continues to slow in Wisconsin and Minnesota, even as other states show moderate improvement.

Wisconsin produced 2.2 billion pounds of milk last month, down a fraction of a percent from the same month last year. Production fell 2 percent in Minnesota, where dairy farmers harvested 761 million pounds.

The slowing rate of production in the two states continues a trend that has persisted for several months. Other states, however, are on an upward trend.

The greatest rate of increase was in Texas, which produced 816 million pounds for the month, a 7 percent increase. California is still No. 1 overall, generating 3.5 billion pounds for a 3 percent increase.

Nationwide, dairy production in April rose 2 percent to 15.5 billion pounds.