In the discussion of Montana’s milk imports and exports, the terms refer to trade between Montana and other states, not international trade.

A provision in the Milk Control Act (81-23-302(10), MCA) specifies that distributors with processing facilities in the state shall “whenever possible, purchase milk from Montana producers for the processing of products to be sold in this state if milk is available from Montana producers at the price set by the board.” In Fiscal Year 2025, pool handlers imported 76.54 million pounds of bulk unpasteurized milk, an average of approximately 6.38 million pounds per month. In comparison, Montana producers delivered almost 187.12 million pounds of milk to pool handlers in Fiscal Year 2025, an average of approximately 16.43 million pounds per month. Due to milk plant needs and the decline in supply from the Montana producers, Montana distributors’ imports of bulk milk continued to increase in Fiscal Year 2025. An additional 7.45 million pounds added in Fiscal Year 2025, and the 22.42 million pounds added in Fiscal Year 2024 made the total for this two-year period 29.87 million pounds. Meanwhile, the Montana producers delivered amounts continued to decrease in Fiscal Year 2025. An additional decrease of 10.05 million pounds in Fiscal Year 2025, and the 12.46 million pounds decrease in Fiscal Year 2024 made the total for this two-year period 22.51 million pounds.

The bulk milk imports are partially attributed to Meadow Gold – Billings purchasing milk from Wyoming producers, processing the milk, and distributing it to the Wyoming market. The current levels of Wyoming bulk milk imports are usually higher than Class I packaged milk exports for any given month. As such, Montana has become a net importer of milk from Wyoming. The remaining Bulk milk imports are mostly from Idaho; this is usually milk sold to the Darigold – Bozeman plant by Northwest Dairy Association and Dairy Farmers of America. All of the bulk milk is used to produce Class I packaged products which are then exported out of state. The current levels of Class I packaged milk exports are higher than bulk milk imports. As such, Montana has become a net exporter of milk from Idaho.

Processed dairy products are imported by both out-of-state distributors and in-state distributors. The following table shows the dairy product imports in Fiscal Year 2025 in units of pounds of milk equivalent calculated on a milk solids basis.