Historically, U.S. dairymen have been thought to move to a new location to seek better economic opportunities or to leave an area that has become disadvantaged due to regulation or economics. Recently, there again have been major shifts in dairy production across the United States.Livestock Production/Industries,

Anderson, David P.

Bryant, Henry L.

Herbst, Brian K.

Outlaw, Joe L.

English

Research Papers in Economics

Considerations in the Dairy Relocation Decision 
 
Brian  K.  Herbst      Joe  L.  Outlaw 
Agricultural and Food Policy Center     Agricultural and Food Policy Center 
Department of Agricultural Economics    Department of Agricultural Economics 
2124  TAMUS       2124  TAMUS    
Texas A&M University        Texas A&M University 
College Station, TX  77843-2124      College Station, TX  77843-2124   
herbst@tamu.edu      joutlaw@tamu.edu 
 
 
David  P.  Anderson      Henry  L.  Bryant 
Agricultural and Food Policy Center     Agricultural and Food Policy Center 
Department of Agricultural Economics    Department of Agricultural Economics 
2124  TAMUS       2124  TAMUS    
Texas A&M University        Texas A&M University 
College Station, TX  77843-2124      College Station, TX  77843-2124   
danderson@tamu.edu      h-bryant@tamu.edu 
 
 
 
 
Selected Paper prepared for presentation at the 
Southern Agricultural Economics Association Annual Meetings 
Orlando, Florida, February 5-8, 2006 
 
 
Abstract 
Historically, U.S. dairymen have been thought to move to a new location to seek better economic 
opportunities or to leave an area that has become disadvantaged due to regulation or economics.   
Recently, there again have been major shifts in dairy production across the United States.   
 
Keywords:  Dairy, relocation, decision making 
 
JEL Codes:  Q12, Q14, R32 
 
Copyright 2006 by Brian K. Herbst, Joe L. Outlaw, David P. Anderson, and Henry L. Bryant.  
All rights reserved.  Readers may make verbatim copies of this document for non-commercial 
purposes by any means, provided that this copyright notice appears on all such copies. Considerations in the Dairy Relocation Decision 
You hear about it more and more … dairy farmers packing up and moving the operation 
to a new location to start up again.  Often it involves milking more cows and building a big 
efficient parlor, and, generally, is seen as a positive. 
  Anecdotally, you hear a lot more about dairy farmers relocating than other types of 
agricultural operations.  Are dairy farmers more open to the challenge and opportunity of moving 
to a new location than other farmers and ranchers? 
  Let’s look at many of the reasons cited by people as reasons to relocate their dairy.  When 
the reasons are put together, they begin to provide a pattern of what a good place to dairy might 
look like.  In addition, let’s looks at trends in dairy herd size regionally and some implications of 
those trends. 
Objectives 
The primary of objective of this work is to determine 1) where milk production is moving 
to and 2) what factors are causing dairy production to move across the country.   
Background 
  Urban sprawl probably is the most cited reason for a dairy farm to move; at least, that’s 
the perception.  This particularly is true in the western U.S.  Often, the process involves selling 
the land that makes up the dairy to someone else for development. The money from the sale 
enables the owner to move the operation farther out, to build a new, often much larger dairy, and 
one with all the latest efficiencies.  Then, with any luck, that family might get to do it again when 
the next generation takes over.     Not only has the cash from these sales fueled movement ”farther out”, but it also has 
fueled movement to other states.  Many have argued that the growth in central Texas 25 years 
ago began just with several families and extended families moving from California. 
  But dairy producers also have moved due to obtain greater margins.  Every area where 
growth has occurred has done so because of production and economic considerations.  Low land 
costs, inexpensive feed, good weather (for cows and people), as well as attractive class I prices 
and fluid utilization have driven movement.  The emergence of a national cheese market, as well 
as other national product markets, has enabled producers to move almost anywhere. 
The permitting issue …  
 A location that is environmentally friendly to concentrated livestock operations 
increasingly cited as a reason to relocate.  Recently, some dairies have begun to move from 
central Texas to the Texas Panhandle.  This move is due, in part, to demanding environmental 
regulations and a wetter climate in central Texas.   
  The Texas Panhandle offers an area that is friendly to concentrated livestock operations.  
It is the largest cattle feeding area in the U.S.  The area also has one-third to one –half as much 
rainfall as central Texas, making nutrient and water issues easier to deal with.   
  Yet, environmental advantages by themselves have not been enough to support the move 
being made in Texas.  For example, the Texas Panhandle has had the usual economic factors to 
support growth.  Land has been relatively inexpensive.  There is low cost feed and reasonable 
transportation distances for alfalfa. 
  There are disadvantages, as well.  It is further to milk markets, like Dallas and Houston, 
and this results in higher hauling costs.  The area also has lower milk prices than Central Texas.  The Class I location adjustment in the Panhandle is 40 cents per hundredweights below that of 
central Texas.  It is some 200 miles farther from Dallas.  
  As in other areas of the country, starting a new operation presents the opportunity to 
expand.  Expansion can enable owners to capture economies of size and reduce per 
hundredweight costs.  In addition, it enables the producer to get out of obsolete facilities and 
adopt new technologies in milking, feeding, and manure handling.  These changes have 
happened across the country. 
There have been incentives … 
  To sweeten the deal, many communities have offered economic incentive packages to 
dairies.  The movement of a dairy from a community or state is much more than the direct 
impact of the milk and livestock income and related revenue for the operation.  There’s new 
business for related industries, such as input suppliers (feed, equipment, and supplies), service 
providers (consulting nutritionists, veterinarians, and marketing consultants), output markets 
(cooperatives, diary processors, livestock auction markets), and, of course, labor. 
  The lure of economic development can be strong.  Research has indicated that the dairy 
industry has a gross state product (GSP) contribution multiplier of 1.87.  GSP is the value added 
in production through the use of land, labor, capital, and management resources of the state.  
GSP is a value-added concept.  It is receipts minus the input costs. 
  New dairies bring jobs, related service industries, and infrastructure to the community.  In 
that way, they are like other businesses.  So tax breaks and other incentives have been offered to 
move dairies into an area. 
  Stories abound about dairies moving to new locations.  The trend is closely tied towards 
fewer, larger dairies.  But, many dairy operations have quit the business over the years.  As a result, the total number of operations may decline even while significant dairy relocations to the 
area are occurring.  So, it is difficult to measure these changes.   
Methodology 
 
Milk production data will be analyzed to determine the states where milk production is 
increasing and decreasing over time.  The results will then be incorporated into an econometric 
model of milk production movements in the United States.  A Probit model is then used to 
determine which variables are important in dairy and milk production relocation.  The USDA 
regional cost of production data will be used as explanatory variables.  Possible factors include, 
feed costs, labor costs, environmental costs, and indices of location characteristics. 
Results 
However, with that in mind it is perhaps useful to look at changes in the number of 
operations in selected states.  We will start with the assumption that new dairies are not people 
who have never dairied before but are experienced operators.  So, new operations will represent 
both growth of existing dairies and new, larger ones moving in from outside. 
  Since USDA began reporting the number of dairy operations over 500 cows in 1997, the 
number of dairies in that size category has grown by 674 to 3,010.  Examining states where 
growth has occurred is particularly interesting. 
  The number of dairies with more than 500 cows in Idaho has grown by 60 to 190.  
Michigan and Indiana dairies in the same size category increased by 50 and 20 operations, to a 
total of 85 and 30, respectively.  In Wisconsin, the number of dairies over 500 cows has shot up 
from 50 to 200.   While some of this is homegrown, in some states much of it is from outside.  Kansas had 
no 500-cow plus dairies reported until 20 were identified in 2003.  But Kansas was one of the 
few states that showed a growing number of dairies having 100 to 499 cows from 2003 to 2004. 
Annual Milk Production from 1980-2005
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005
California Florida Idaho Minnesota New Mexico Texas Wisconsin
 
  The Annual Milk Production graph show the what area have see big increases and what 
area have seen the big decreases.  Even when the trend of milk per cow is increasing, some large 
milk states like Wisconsin and Minnesota are seeing decreases in total milk production.  Sates 
see the largest increases are California, Idaho and New Mexico. 
Summary 
The movement of dairy production (mostly dairy families) from one region to another has 
been one of the interesting trends in the in the dairy industry.  This appears to be much more 
common than what is happening in other segments of production agriculture. 
  Many reasons for dairy relocation have been cited, including lower production costs, 
higher milk prices, drier climate, and more friendly environmental regulations.  Closely tied to 
this movement has been the desire and ability to have a larger herd.  New dairies almost always 
are built larger to spread investments in milking parlors and other facilities over more cows.  It appears we will see more dairy relocations and that people always will be looking for the next 
big place to dairy.  
References 
Anderson, D. and J. Outlaw.  “Why People Relocate – People who own dairies seem more open 
to moving than those in other types of farming.  Here is a look at what may be involved” 
Hoard’s Dariyman.  May 25, 2005. 
 
Garcia, A. and K. Kalscheur.  “Why People Expand or Relocate – Here’s a look at the conditions 
and incentives that cause people to add cows or relocate and build new.” Hoard’s 
Dairyman.  September 10, 2005. 
 
NASS. Ag Prices Monthly.  http://usda.mannlib.cornell.edu/reports/nassr/price/pap-bb/2005/ 
Accessed January 12, 2006. 
 
 

Ag Prices Monthly.

Why People Expand or Relocate – Here’s a look at the conditions and incentives that cause people to add cows or relocate and build new.” Hoard’s Dairyman.

Why People Relocate – People who own dairies seem more open to moving than those in other types of farming. Here is a look at what may be involved” Hoard’s Dariyman.

Considerations in the Dairy Relocation Decision

Considerations in the Dairy Relocation Decision

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