Milk output rises in Wis., holds steady in Minn.

MADISON, Wis. — Milk production has improved modestly in Wisconsin, and Minnesota has reversed a short-term slide by holding about even.

The latest statistics show that Wisconsin produced 2.2 billion pounds of milk in October. That’s 2 percent better than its output in October of last year.

In Minnesota, dairy farmers harvested 732 million pounds in October. That’s about even with the state’s production a year ago, and an improvement over recent months in which declines ranged from 1 percent to 7 percent.

Overall, milk production was up 2 percent nationwide to 15.2 billion pounds. California is still the national leader, producing 3.4 billion pounds in October. Wisconsin remains solidly in second place.

The largest percentage gains in monthly production were in Texas (10 percent) and New Mexico (7 percent).