DMI: 2025 checkoff partnerships generated 516 million additional milk-equivalent pounds
Partnerships involving foodservice operators, retailers and dairy businesses supported the introduction of more than 30 dairy-focused products in 2025, according to the report. Key partnerships generated an additional 516 million pounds on a milk-equivalent basis. Partner companies also maintained annual spending of more than $1 billion on dairy marketing. The report presents these activities alongside work intended to increase demand, support consumer trust and develop international markets.
The checkoff’s “We Are Family” e-commerce campaign produced nearly $70 million in incremental dairy sales across two years. During its 2025 campaign period, sales increased by 3.41%. Separately, the Undeniably Dairy digital platform attracted 6.1 million users. Nutrition communications under the First 1,000 Days initiative reached 60,000 healthcare professionals.
American dairy exports totalled $9.63 billion in 2025, up 15% on the previous year and slightly below the record achieved in 2022. The report attributed approximately 1.5 billion additional pounds of milk-equivalent export volume to strategic international partnerships. These partnerships also supported market development for American dairy products in both established and emerging destinations.
Other investments covered nutrition research, sustainability and engagement with farmers. More than 10,000 farmers and advisers have used the Dairy Conservation Navigator. Content distributed through Making Every Drop Count received 17.4 million views during 2025, an increase of 39% from 2024. The unified plan’s expenditure categories included reputation, innovation, exports, sustainability, farmer and community relations, and strategic intelligence.
Marilyn Hershey, DMI’s chair and a Pennsylvania dairy farmer, said farmers and importers contribute to the checkoff daily and should be able to see how their money is spent and what it delivers. She described transparency and accountability as essential to maintaining their trust. The annual report, she said, provides a way to explain investment decisions, accomplishments and the programme’s work to create opportunities for dairy.
DMI is financed by more than 23,000 dairy farmers and dairy importers. It administers the national checkoff and works with state and regional teams throughout the United States. Their activities include research, education and marketing aimed at increasing domestic and overseas dairy sales, as well as efforts to strengthen trust in dairy products and the farm families producing them.
The organisation manages the National Dairy Council and established the U.S. Dairy Export Council, Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy and Newtrient. Its announcement of the annual report was dated November 3rd 2026 and issued from Rosemont, Illinois. The report is available through the Dairy Checkoff website.
