American cheese manufacturers produced more than 1.26 billion pounds of cheese in March 2026, according to newly released figures from the United States Department of Agriculture, highlighting the continued strength of the country’s dairy processing industry.
The latest USDA data showed total cheese production, excluding cottage cheese, increased 1.2 percent compared with March last year and rose 8.1 percent from February 2026 levels.
Italian-style cheeses remained the largest category by volume, with production reaching 542 million pounds during March. That represented an increase of 2.3 percent compared with the same month last year.
The category includes products such as mozzarella, parmesan and provolone, which continue to benefit from strong demand from restaurants, pizza chains and prepared-food manufacturers.
American-type cheese production totaled 488 million pounds in March. While that figure was down 2.3 percent compared with March 2025, output still rose sharply from February levels, suggesting steady domestic demand for products such as cheddar, Monterey Jack and processed cheese varieties.
Together, Italian and American-style cheeses accounted for the vast majority of US cheese production during the month.
The dairy industry remains one of the largest segments of American agriculture and food manufacturing, supporting farmers, processors, transportation companies and retail supply chains across the country.
Wisconsin continues to dominate US cheese production overall, although major dairy processing operations are also located in California, Idaho, New York and several Midwestern states.
The USDA report also showed broader growth across other dairy categories.
Butter production reached 232 million pounds in March, up 1.2 percent year over year, while regular ice cream production rose 5.1 percent to 62.8 million gallons.
Industry analysts say dairy consumption patterns continue evolving as consumers increasingly purchase prepared meals, snack foods and protein-rich products that rely heavily on processed dairy ingredients.
Main image by Mark Stebnicki, on Pexels
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