Milk and dairy basket1

Farm-to-retail Farm value

Year Retail cost Farm value
spread share
2003 = 100 Percent
2000 96 97 95 28
2001 100 118 92 33
2002 100 95 102 27
2003 100 100 100 28
2004 107 128 99 33
2005 109 114 107 29
2006 108 101 111 26
2007 116 145 105 35
2008 125 145 118 32
2009 117 101 124 24
2010 119 127 115 30
2011 127 156 116 34
2012 129 143 124 31
2013 130 153 121 33
2014 134 185 115 38
2015 133 136 131 29
2016 129 130 129 28
2017 130 140 126 30
2018 129 129 129 28
1
For a market basket of food bought in food stores in a base period,
currently 2003. The retail price index is derived from data published by
the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Farm value is derived from data published
by agencies within USDA. The spread between the retail cost and
farm value represents charges for services like processing and marketing.

Source: USDA, Economic Research Service calculations, using data from

the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the National Agricultural Statistics
Service.