Virginia Dairy Month

By virtue of the authority vested by the Constitution of Virginia in the Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, there is hereby officially recognized:

Virginia Dairy Month

WHEREAS, dairy products are Virginia's fourth-leading agricultural commodity, generating more than $363 million in cash receipts in 2024, and approximately 65,000 dairy cows across the Commonwealth produce nearly 1.4 billion pounds of milk annually; and

WHEREAS, the Commonwealth's top milk-producing counties, as measured by dairy cattle inventory, are Rockingham, Franklin, Pittsylvania, Augusta, and Washington counties; and

WHEREAS, the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services maintains active permits for 346 dairy farms in the state, with 323 of these being Grade A dairy farms, 18 commercial milk processing plants, and ten on-farm bottling plants; and

WHEREAS, many of Virginia's dairy farmers operate creameries that sell milk, ice cream, and other dairy products directly to the public, providing opportunities for consumers to support local agriculture and learn more about the Commonwealth's dairy industry, and work tirelessly to care for their herds to produce high-quality and nutritious dairy products enjoyed by consumers across the Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, a cup of milk has 8 grams of protein and provides 25 percent of the recommended daily allowance of calcium, and 15 percent of the recommended daily allowance of vitamin D; and

WHEREAS, the Virginia General Assembly designated milk as the official beverage of the Commonwealth in 1982;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Abigail D. Spanberger, Governor, do hereby recognize June 2026 as VIRGINIA DAIRY MONTH in the COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA and call this observance to the attention of our citizens.