How much is a gallon of milk? In 2024, the average retail price of whole fortified milk in the United States was 4.1 U.S. dollars, which was a decrease from the previous year. Milk production Dairy farming is an agricultural business which is engaged in the long-term milk production within the dairy industry. Dairy farming is a large contributor to the overall economy in many states. California, Wisconsin, and Idaho had the highest milk supply in 2022. Continuing the trend of each year breaking the record for milk production, an estimated 228.3 billion pounds of milk were produced in 2023. Milk consumption Since 2011, there has been a steady decline in milk consumption in the United States, with just 65.2 liters consumed per capita compared to 78.3 in 2011. This could be explained by consumers’ increasing shift towards plant-based dairy alternatives. In 2019, 35 percent of consumers consumed soy products at least once a week, up from 24 percent in 2010.

Fresh whole milk, fortified, sold per gallon regardless of packaging type. Includes organic and non-organic milk."

Explore the factors influencing milk prices in the United States, from geographical variability and market dynamics to consumer trends and regulatory policies, and understand how these elements create fluctuations in the cost of a gallon of milk.

This statistic shows projections for milk prices in the United States from 2019 to 2028. In 2028, it is expected that the price for milk in the U.S. will be 19.89 U.S. dollars per cwt.

Fresh, low fat or light milk sold, per half-gallon carton. Includes organic and non-organic milk."

In the United States in 2024, consumers wanting to purchase organic yogurt would have to pay about 2.81 U.S. dollars for 32 ounces. 8 ounces of organic butter would cost an average of 2.78 U.S. dollars.

A carton of milk in Poland cost 3.94 zloty on average in 2025. Butter was more expensive than margarine, with an average price of 7.99 zloty per 200g. A carton of ten eggs cost around 8.84 zloty, although it could get as expensive as 9.99 zloty.

This statistic shows the average retail prices of selected baking ingredients in the United States in 2015 and 2016. In 2016, the average price of a gallon of whole milk in the U.S. amounted to some 3.29 U.S. dollars.

The average retail price of whole milk in Denmark fluctuated recently. It peaked in 2023, as the price of whole milk in retail stores reached on average 13.13 Danish kroner per liter. This was an increase compared to the previous year. The average retail price of organic whole milk was even higher in 2023 and amounted to 15.4 Danish kroner per liter. Organic milk comes from cows that are not treated with antibiotics and hormones and are on the pasture around 120 days a year.   Whole milk consumption  In the period from 2011 to 2023, the consumption volume of whole milk in Denmark increased overall. It grew from nearly 63 thousand metric tons to approximately 91 thousand metric tons of whole milk. By the end of this period, 15.3 kilograms of whole milk have been consumed per person in the country. Whole milk production  In Denmark, the production volume of whole milk as well as organic whole milk fluctuated. In 2023, the whole milk production volume amounted to nearly 607 thousand metric tons. By comparison, the volume of produced organic whole milk was much lower and amounted to 23.5 thousand metric tons in the same year.

Milk decreased 0.06 USD/CWT or 0.32% since the beginning of 2025, according to trading on a contract for difference (CFD) that tracks the benchmark market for this commodity. Milk - values, historical data, forecasts and news - updated on March of 2025.

Monthly average retail prices for selected products, for Canada and provinces. Prices are presented for the current month and the previous four months. Prices are based on transaction data from Canadian retailers, and are presented in Canadian current dollars.

The average retail price for homogenized milk hit an all-time high with 6.53 Canadian dollars per four liters in February 2022 in Canada.

What is homogenized milk?

Homogenization is the process of breaking down the fat molecules within milk to ensure that they do not separate. This prevents the fat molecules rising to the top and creating a layer of cream, therefore creating a more consistent product with a longer shelf life. Homogenization generally occurs after pasteurization, which is a heating process to eliminate bacteria.

The Canadian milk market

The volume of milk produced in Canada has steadily risen year-on-year to reach approximately 93.24 million hectoliters in 2020. Quebec and Ontario are the provincial frontrunners in milk production, both producing over 30 million hectoliters in that year. Quebec and Ontario are also home to the largest number of certified organic milk producers in Canada.

The average for 2021 based on 165 countries was 120.42 index points. The highest value was in Aruba: 240.01 index points and the lowest value was in Belarus: 62.14 index points. The indicator is available from 2017 to 2021. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

This statistic shows the average retail price per liter of fluid milk in Spain in 2023, by distribution channel in euros. Traditional grocery stores ranked as the distribution channel in which milk was the most expensive at 1.13 euros per liter, followed by e-commerce channels where Spaniards can purchase a liter of fluid milk for one euro. Additionally, a liter of fluid milk in discount shops cost an average of 0.95 euros in Spain in that year.

Graph and download economic data for Average Price: Milk, Fresh, Skim (Cost per One-Half Gallon/1.9 Liters) in the West Census Region - Urban (APU0400709211) from Jan 1980 to Jul 1984 about dairy products, retail, price, and USA.

Fresh, low fat or light milk sold, per half-gallon carton. Includes organic and non-organic milk."

In 2021, the retail price of one liter of milk in Canada was on average 1.68 Canadian dollars, with some regional differences. For instance, in Quebec, one liter of milk cost 2.06 Canadian dollars on average, while it cost 1.56 Canadian dollars in Ontario.

Milk production in Canada

Canada featured among the leading producers of cow milk worldwide, with a production volume exceeding 10 million metric tons in 2021. Although this production volume pales in comparison to that of the EU-27 or the United States, Canada’s dairy farming industry is among the most important agricultural sectors in the country. Dairy farms in Canada were home to more than 990,000 milk cows in 2021. In addition to being the provinces with the largest number of milk cows in the country, Quebec and Ontario also produced the largest volume of milk in Canada in 2020, at around 33 million and 31 million hectoliters, respectively.

Milk consumption in Canada

Since 2004, consumption of milk per capita in Canada has been steadily declining, with a significant decrease of more than twenty liters per capita between 2004 and 2019. This can be attributed to the emergence of new consumption habits and the rise of non-dairy substitutes for milk such as soy milk, almond milk, coconut milk and others, which appeal primarily but not exclusively to people following plant-based diets. It was estimated that the milk substitute market in Canada would generate approximately 367 million U.S. dollars in revenues in 2022.

In January 2025, the average price for a kilogram of milk in Germany was around 54.6 euro cents. This refers to the price dairies purchasing the milk paid to dairy farmers. However, dairies pay individual prices to farmers depending on the business structure, region and time of year, which can result in differences in the milk price. Milk in agriculture is usually invoiced in kilograms, but the food trade usually sells milk in liters. One liter of milk corresponds to around 1.03 kilograms.

This statistic presents the monthly farm-gate price of raw milk in the European Union (EU-28) from January 2016 to December 2020. The sales price of raw milk has increased in the period under consideration from 29.69 euros per 100 kilograms in January 2016 to 35.1 euros per 100 kilograms in December 2020. Monthly farm-gate prices reflect the net value of a product once it leaves a farm and take into account the volume of the relevant market. Thus farm-gate prices are equivalent to the value of a product sold by a farm. Farm-gate prices are lower than retail prices as they do not include a number of other cost factors, such as for shipping, handling and storage.

Fresh whole milk, fortified, sold per gallon regardless of packaging type. Includes organic and non-organic milk."