By Ed Maltby, NODPA Executive Director
The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) has published estimated national organic retail product sales for March and April 2025, compiled with data from the Federal Milk Marketing Order. In March 2025, the data shows a continued increase in sales of Organic Whole Milk packaged fluid products of 4.2% over March 2024, and the April 2025 data shows sales at 7.7% over April 2024. There was a 4.7% decrease in Organic Fat Reduced Milk in March 2025 over March 2024, and a 7.5 % decrease in April 2025 over April 2024. Year to date, April 2025, organic fluid milk sales are 2.4% higher than the same period in 2024.
Total US sales of organic fluid milk products were estimated at 257 million pounds in March 2025, with organic Whole Milk sales at 143 million pounds, and sales of organic Fat Reduced Milk at 113 million pounds. In April 2025, total sales of organic packaged milk were 251 million pounds, with sales of organic packaged Whole Milk at 140 million pounds, and sales of organic Fat Reduced Milk at 110 million pounds.
The average national retail price for organic milk, as recorded by Federal Milk Marketing Order in May 2025, rose to $5.07 per half gallon for Whole Milk and, unusually, $5.12 for a half gallon of Organic Reduced Fat 2% milk. In June 2025, there was a large jump in retail price, to a national average of $5.24 for Organic Whole Milk half gallon and $5.25 for Reduced Fat 2% milk. This is approximately a 3.25% increase in average retail price. There was the usual range in prices for different locations, with a low of $4.19 in Syracuse, NY and $4.21 in Texas and a high of $6.89 in Pittsburgh, PA for June 2025. A reminder that retailers set the retail price depending on many variables and that, even with the higher Pay Prices kicking in for producers, they only receive approximately 30% of the retail price as opposed to conventional producers who average just over 50%. Is the increase a sign of retailers increasing their margin as we see shortages of organic products on the shelves, or processors and milk buyers increasing their margin, or just a blip? June 1st was when the new FMMO order changes kicked in, so was this a reason for processors to increase their costs?
Organic milk is still short in the Northeast and across the country, with serious competition between buyers, with spot milk as high as $>50/cwt. Pay prices ranging from an annualized average of $33/cwt to $45/cwt for grain and pasture fed organic dairies. Grass Fed organic certified dairies range from $36/cwt up to $52/cwt, depending on how much the buyer is paying, to reflect the increased costs and lower production of Grass Fed production and extra certification costs.
Estimated Fluid Milk Products Sales Reports
|
Product Name |
Sales of Organic Fluid Milk |
Change from |
||
|
|
March 2025 |
2025 Year to date |
March-2024 |
Year to date |
|
Million pounds |
Percent |
|||
|
Organic Whole Milk |
143 |
420 |
4.2% |
7.1% |
|
Flavored Whole milk |
1 |
2 |
-38.9% |
-25.8% |
|
Organic Reduced-Fat Milk (2%) |
81 |
249 |
0.3% |
4.4% |
|
Organic Low-Fat Milk (1%) |
18 |
55 |
-15.0% |
-17.4% |
|
Organic Fat-Free Milk Skim |
10 |
31 |
-13.0% |
-8.9% |
|
Organic Flavored Fat-Reduced Milk |
5 |
16 |
-12.5% |
2.8% |
|
Other Fluid Organic Milk Products |
0 |
1 |
94.1% |
-13.3% |
|
Total Fat Reduced Milk |
113 |
351 |
-4.7% |
-1.0% |
|
Total Organic Milk Products |
257 |
774 |
0.0% |
3.1% |
|
|
||||
|
Product Name |
Sales of Organic Fluid Milk |
Change from |
||
|
|
April 2025 |
2025 Year to date |
April-2024 |
Year to date |
|
|
Million pounds |
Percent |
||
|
Organic Whole Milk |
140 |
560 |
7.7% |
7.3% |
|
Flavored Whole milk |
1 |
2 |
-43.0% |
-31.5% |
|
Organic Reduced-Fat Milk (2%) |
81 |
330 |
3.9% |
4.3% |
|
Organic Low-Fat Milk (1%) |
15 |
70 |
-21.0% |
-18.2% |
|
Organic Fat-Free Milk Skim |
10 |
41 |
-13.2% |
-10.0% |
|
Organic Flavored Fat-Reduced Milk |
4 |
20 |
-63.2% |
-23.1% |
|
Other Fluid Organic Milk Products |
0 |
1 |
76.9% |
1.1% |
|
Total Fat Reduced Milk |
110 |
461 |
--7.5% |
-2.6% |
|
Total Organic Milk Products |
251 |
1,025 |
0.3% |
2.4% |
Data may not add due to rounding to the nearest million pounds
Federal Milk Marketing Order 1 (Order) reported that in April 2025, fluid Organic Whole Milk packaged and utilized within the Order totaled 20.65 million pounds, higher than the previous year of 19.53 million pounds. In May 2025, Organic Whole Milk packaged in the Order was 19.41million pounds, 2 million pounds lower than May 2025. In April 2025, Organic Reduced Fat Milk packaged and utilized in the Order was 15.59 million pounds, down from 16.15 million pounds in April 2024. In May 2025, Organic Reduced Fat Milk packaged and utilized in the Order was 15.44 million pounds, down from 17.51 million pounds in May 2024. Total Class 1 milk (both conventional and organic) packaged outside the Order, but sold within the Order, increased by 2.9 million pounds in April 2025 over April 2024. Packaged milk coming into the Order in May 2025 increased by 8.67 million pounds over the same period in 2024. Organic milk averages approximately 19% of the fluid milk packaged in the Order. From January to May, FMMO 1 reports a reduction of 3.7 million pounds in organic packaged milk, from 175.88 million pounds in 2024 to 172.18 million pounds in 2025. Packaged milk coming into the Order during the same period, both conventional and organic, has increased by 10.63 million pounds as of May 2025 compared to May 2024. The Stonyfield/US Lactalis plant in New Hampshire is not included in this data because it does not process organic fluid milk and has chosen not to be regulated under the Order.
|
UTILIZATION OF ORGANIC FLUID MILK PRODUCTS -Class 1 (Million pounds) in FMMO 1 (Northeast) not including product packaged out of order |
||||||
|
Month |
Fluid retail Organic Milk 2025 |
Fluid retail Organic Milk 2024 |
Fluid retail Organic Milk 2023 |
Fluid retail Organic Milk 2022 |
Fluid retail Organic Milk 2021 |
Fluid retail Organic Milk 2020 |
|
JANUARY |
34.31 |
34.93 |
37.00 |
29.14 |
31.32 |
23.93 |
|
FEBRUARY |
29.46 |
31.50 |
31.65 |
33.65 |
31.56 |
26.69 |
|
MARCH |
37.70 |
34.82 |
37.37 |
31.56 |
31.87 |
27.90 |
|
APRIL |
35.86 |
35.68 |
31.51 |
33.23 |
28.97 |
29.35 |
|
MAY |
34.85 |
38.95 |
36.24 |
30.49 |
29.72 |
28.25 |
|
JUNE |
|
31.51 |
34.59 |
31.53 |
28.41 |
26.90 |
|
JULY |
|
35.54 |
31.15 |
29.44 |
25.50 |
26.70 |
|
AUGUST |
|
34.07 |
33.75 |
32.12 |
27.18 |
24.70 |
|
SEPTEMBER |
|
31.72 |
28.32 |
35.00 |
30.26 |
29.70 |
|
OCTOBER |
|
29.62 |
33.54 |
34.83 |
29.47 |
25.78 |
|
NOVEMBER |
|
30.48 |
31.19 |
31.13 |
31.07 |
24.47 |
|
DECEMBER |
|
33.34 |
33.56 |
33.78 |
31.36 |
28.13 |
|
ANNUAL |
|
402.16 |
399.87 |
385.90 |
356.68 |
322.50 |
There are 3 other FMMO’s that publish reports on the volume of Class 1 organic packaged milk in their Order, two of which report how much is ‘exported’ to other Orders. In April 2025, of the 251 million pounds packaged and sold as Class 1 organic milk in the US, 47.65 million pounds was from Order 32 (Central). Order 51 (California) packaged 37.76 million pounds of organic milk in April 2025 and Order 33 (Mideast) packages less than Order 1, with 23.82 million pounds. Texas has claimed that they are the largest producers of organic milk but their FMMO Order, Southwest F.O. 126, does not publish any breakdown of Class 1 organic milk.
Aurora Organic Dairy has two plants it owns in Order 32, and it contracts with other manufacturers' plants in other Orders. The company sources milk from Colorado, Texas, Indiana, Idaho, New Mexico, Louisiana, Mississippi, Georgia, and Florida. Its packaged products are sold in all 50 states. With no public data available to assess the volumes of milk produced, we do know from the two petitions submitted by Aurora Dairy and Horizon Organic LLC, that Aurora Dairy pays the same amount of Class 1 payments into different pools as Horizon Organic does. There could be many reasons for that but it shows the two of them dominate that market.
UTILIZATION OF ORGANIC FLUID MILK PRODUCTS - (Million pounds) in FMMO 32 (Central)
|
Month |
2025 |
2025 in Order |
2025 out of Order |
2024 |
2024 in order |
2024 out of order |
2023 |
2023 in order |
2023 out of order |
|
January |
55.36 |
6.59 |
48.77 |
56.23 |
6.41 |
49.82 |
55.21 |
6.51 |
48.70 |
|
February |
47.93 |
5.43 |
42.49 |
51.88 |
5.77 |
46.12 |
49.11 |
5.49 |
43.63 |
|
March |
50.05 |
6.28 |
43.78 |
53.96 |
5.93 |
46.29 |
52.73 |
5.59 |
45.44 |
|
April |
47.65 |
5.45 |
42.20 |
54.13 |
6.04 |
48.09 |
49.18 |
5.64 |
43.53 |
|
May |
48.28 |
5.70 |
42.58 |
51.32 |
5.81 |
45.51 |
48.21 |
5.40 |
42.78 |
|
June |
|
|
|
52.56 |
5.51 |
47.04 |
45.20 |
5.57 |
39.63 |
|
July |
|
|
|
52.68 |
5.63 |
47.04 |
48.45 |
5.70 |
42.75 |
|
August |
|
|
|
55.63 |
6.26 |
49.37 |
48.47 |
5.63 |
42.85 |
|
September |
|
|
|
50.68 |
5.41 |
45.27 |
48.76 |
5.58 |
43.18 |
|
October |
|
|
|
50.36 |
5.89 |
44.47 |
49.73 |
5.65 |
42.48 |
|
November |
|
|
|
48.04 |
5.99 |
42.04 |
49.60 |
5.48 |
44.12 |
|
December |
|
|
|
53.98 |
6.73 |
47.21 |
54.17 |
6.08 |
48.10 |
|
Total |
|
|
|
631.45 |
71.39 |
558.25 |
598.82 |
68.31 |
527.18 |
The Vermont Report has published data since November 2023. While the sample size is relatively small, and the sample includes Grass Fed dairies, the weighted average Pay Price was $36.42/cwt for 17 months, with a range of 27.92/cwt to a maximum of $47.38/cwt (does not include any deductions for hauling). The average daily production per cow averages 46 lbs./cow. The milk buyers in Vermont are CROPP Cooperative, US Lactalis direct supply, and Upstate Niagara (newly named UNC).
|
Month |
Volume(lbs.) |
Ave. daily production per cow (lbs.) |
Min Price |
Max Price |
Weighted Av Price |
Ave. Butterfat |
Ave. Protein |
Avg Monthly Production/cow (lbs.) |
|
Nov-23 |
1,155,583 |
39.6 |
$ 27.92 |
$ 43.60 |
$ 37.01 |
|
|
|
|
Dec-23 |
1,227,212 |
39.3 |
$ 27.92 |
$ 47.13 |
$ 39.70 |
|
|
|
|
Jan-24 |
1,224,497 |
40.2 |
$ 35.00 |
$ 47.38 |
$ 39.97 |
4.21% |
3.03% |
1,246 |
|
Feb-24 |
1,073,895 |
41.9 |
$ 36.04 |
$ 46.74 |
$ 39.99 |
4.82% |
3.43% |
1,299 |
|
Mar-24 |
1,088,144 |
46.4 |
$ 33.68 |
$ 42.87 |
$ 36.59 |
4.64% |
3.38% |
1,139 |
|
Apr-24 |
958,104 |
44.5 |
$ 33.08 |
$ 41.85 |
$ 36.10 |
4.59% |
3.34% |
1,239 |
|
May-24 |
1,105,985 |
51 |
$ 32.10 |
$ 39.11 |
$ 34.77 |
4.38% |
3.32% |
1,580 |
|
Jun-24 |
860,631 |
50.7 |
$ 31.65 |
$ 39.10 |
$ 34.00 |
4.20% |
3.22% |
1,541 |
|
Jul-24 |
1,013,388 |
48.4 |
$ 30.70 |
$ 37.06 |
$ 33.00 |
3.99% |
3.13% |
1,500 |
|
Aug-24 |
1,169,419 |
47.8 |
$ 31.49 |
$ 38.79 |
$ 33.00 |
4.03% |
3.21% |
1,482 |
|
Sep-24 |
1,066,596 |
48.3 |
$ 29.50 |
$ 38.75 |
$ 34.39 |
4.09% |
3.29% |
1,449 |
|
Oct-24 |
1,066,596 |
46.5 |
$ 29.50 |
$ 38.75 |
$ 34.08 |
4.39% |
3.37% |
1,443 |
|
Nov-24 |
1,411,221 |
42.69 |
$ 29.50 |
$ 41.06 |
$ 35.90 |
4.45% |
3.34% |
1,281 |
|
Dec-24 |
1,746,250 |
48.6 |
$ 29.50 |
$ 45.29 |
$ 37.99 |
4.46% |
3.34% |
1,489 |
|
Jan-25 |
1,670,009 |
46.68 |
$ 29.50 |
$ 46.42 |
$ 40.29 |
4.46% |
3.35% |
1,489 |
|
Feb-25 |
1,530,661 |
47.25 |
$ 29.50 |
$ 46.93 |
$ 40.36 |
4.50% |
3.35% |
1,369 |
|
March -25 |
1,550,491 |
48.65 |
$ 29.50 |
$44.66 |
$ 39.08 |
4.42% |
3.27% |
1,508 |
The data from PA does show a very wide range of Pay Price from a low of $25.05/cwt to a high of $46.12/cwt. The average weighted price over the 10-month period is $36.50, equal to the Pay Price shown for VT. The average daily production per cow for the 10-month period is 32.24 pounds, 14 pounds lower than the VT average.
|
Month |
Volume(lbs.) |
Ave. daily production per cow (lbs.) |
Min Price |
Max Price |
Weighted Av Price |
Ave. Butterfat |
Ave. Protein |
|
Jun-24 |
1,331,605 |
31.23 |
$ 25.05 |
$ 41.74 |
$ 33.57 |
3.98% |
3.07% |
|
Jul-24 |
1,170,262 |
27.9 |
$ 25.50 |
$ 41.43 |
$ 33.55 |
3.88% |
2.99% |
|
Aug-24 |
1,167,928 |
27.93 |
$ 28.45 |
$ 42.32 |
$ 34.60 |
3.99% |
3.11% |
|
Sep-24 |
1,268,946 |
30.76 |
$ 28.70 |
$ 43.22 |
$ 35.61 |
4.17% |
3.30% |
|
Oct-24 |
1,299,953 |
28.8 |
$ 25.85 |
$ 45.95 |
$ 35.01 |
4.41% |
3.39% |
|
Nov-24 |
1,243,522 |
33.75 |
$ 28.80 |
$ 44.05 |
$ 35.88 |
4.49% |
3.40% |
|
Dec-24 |
988,840 |
32.8 |
$ 32.58 |
$ 45.35 |
$ 38.43 |
4.60% |
3.41% |
|
Jan-25 |
1,064,485 |
35.62 |
$ 35.83 |
$ 46.12 |
$ 40.37 |
4.52% |
3.34% |
|
Feb-25 |
977,836 |
36.80 |
$ 35.95 |
$ 46.12 |
$ 40.02 |
4.51% |
3.35% |
|
March-25 |
1,044,172 |
36.81 |
$ 33.23 |
$ 11.34 |
$ 37.96 |
4.36% |
3.23% |
The Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) releases monthly export data which includes export volumes and values for organic milk categorized as HS-10 code 0401201000, milk and cream, not concentrated nor sweetened, of a fat content, by weight, exceeding 1% but not exceeding 6% certified organic. Recently released data from USDA FAS for March and April 2025 show organic milk exports were 6,929 cwt and 11,391cwt, respectively. The same months in 2024 were dramatically lower at 2,998 cwt. in March 2024 and 3,093 cwt. in April 2024. None of this milk is subject to tariffs under the USMCA and any increase will still fall below the level where current agreements mandate tariffs being added.
|
EXPORTS OF MILK AND CREAM, NOT CONCENTRATED NOR SWEETENED, OF A FAT CONTENT, BY WEIGHT, EXCEEDING 1% BUT NOT EXCEEDING 6%, CERTIFIED ORGANIC 2021-2024 (data in CWT). |
||||||
|
|
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
2024 |
2025 |
Increase on previous year in cwt. |
|
January |
493 |
2,358 |
3,639 |
2,643 |
12,229 |
9,586 |
|
February |
708 |
2,342 |
2,911 |
5,352 |
8,677 |
3,325 |
|
March |
365 |
4,379 |
3,695 |
2,998 |
6,929 |
3,931 |
|
April |
2,421 |
2,896 |
2,249 |
3,093 |
11,391 |
8,298 |
|
May |
2,389 |
2,601 |
3,188 |
3,518 |
|
|
|
June |
3,368 |
2,832 |
5,975 |
6,360 |
|
|
|
July |
2,443 |
3,192 |
5,562 |
11,930 |
|
|
|
August |
4,114 |
2,424 |
6,919 |
6,604 |
|
|
|
September |
4,227 |
3,236 |
3,578 |
6,096 |
|
|
|
October |
4,260 |
3,275 |
5,691 |
10,538 |
|
|
|
November |
4,290 |
3,577 |
3,720 |
11,407 |
|
|
|
December |
2,595 |
3,051 |
4,373 |
8,997 |
|
|
|
Annual Total in cwt |
31,671 |
36,163 |
51,499 |
79,536 |
|
|
Demand for organic cows and heifers remains high and availability is tight. In Massachusetts, the organic dairy herd on Martha’s Vineyard is up for sale. Around 20 cows mixed breeds available (Holstein, Jersey, Normande, Dutch Belted) varying stages of lactation and age. Hoskins Livestock Auction, a NOFA-NY-certified livestock auction in New Berlin, New York, reports that organic cull cows averaged the same price as conventional cows in May and June 2025. The average price for conventional cull cows ranged from a low of $117/cwt to a high of $138 /cwt in May and June 2025. Organic certified cull cow prices ranged from $110/cwt to $159/cwt. Calf prices are still strong but there is no premium for organic. Organic and Grass-Fed milking cows were selling well at an average of $2,000-$3,900 each in April and May 2025, although there were fewer presented for sale than in the past. This auction does give separate reports for Grass-fed organic certified livestock, with cull prices slightly lower but milking cows and heifers sold at the same price as grain fed organic.
In a recent report in May 2025 from a Pacific Northwest livestock auction, the top 10 organic cull cows and the overall average for organic cull cows traded lower than conventional cull cows. The average price for the top 10 organic cows auctioned was $131.57 per hundredweight, compared to an average price of $154.26 per hundredweight for the top 10 conventional cows auctioned. The average weight for the top 10 conventional cows was 1,498.0 pounds compared to 1,081.0 pounds for the top 10 organic cows. The overall price for organic cows auctioned was $122.57 per hundredweight with an average weight of 978.61 pounds, while the overall price for conventional cows auctioned was $125.31 per hundredweight with an average weight of 1,207.76 pounds.
A reminder: organic livestock do not need to be shipped separately from non-organic when they are trucked to auction or direct to slaughter. They do need to be identified clearly as organic with all the correct paperwork.
National data from USDA has organic feed corn delivered to the elevator averaging $8.12 per bushel in May 2025 and $8.35 per bushel in June 2025. Organic feed soybean delivered to the elevator averaged $22.49/bu. in May 2025 and $23.78 in June 2025. Organic feed wheat averaged $6.76/bushel in June 2025. Soybean meal was trading at $950/ton in May 2025 and $965/ton in June 2025. Organic Premium Alfalfa was lower in May 2025 at $205 per ton. In the Northeast, a very wet spring has caused late harvesting of first cut and low-quality hay. In NYS, the excessive rain has caused inordinately wet and flooded pastures in addition to difficulties harvesting first cutting, and late and prevented plantings of corn. A crop insurance adjuster, working in NYS, relayed to an organic dairy producer that he has been an adjuster for 10 years and has only had 18 prevented-planting cases during that time. This year, he has over 90!
Attached Files:
Posted: to Organic Pay, Feed & Grain Prices on Sun, Jul 13, 2025
Updated: Sun, Jul 13, 2025
