Beef boom pushes cattle past dairy as Idaho's top agricultural commodity in 2025

IDAHO FALLS — Cattle and calves surpassed dairy as Idaho's top farm commodity for the first time in more than two decades, according to a 2025 report.

The Department of Agriculture released its Farm Income and Wealth Statistics report on Sept. 3, which lists the gross revenue farmers and ranchers receive in each state from selling their agricultural products.

The report shows that Idaho's cattle and calf market earned about $3.9 billion in cash receipts in 2025, a 17% increase from $3.3 billion in 2024. It narrowly beat out the dairy product and milk sector, which came in at No. 2 with more than $3.8 billion.

The dairy market has been Idaho's No. 1 ag commodity since 2003, according to a University of Idaho report. It attributes most of the increase in the cattle and calf sector to "record beef cattle prices."

"A portion can be attributed to the impact of high-value beef on dairy cross calves," the university said.

A dairy cross calf is a calf born to a dairy cow bred with a beef bull to increase its value for meat production. The practice has become increasingly popular as beef prices have climbed.

While cash receipts of cattle and calves have steadily grown in Idaho since 2020, the university says the Idaho beef cow inventory fell 4% in 2024. The USDA reported in September that the American beef herd is at a 75-year low, and it introduced the Ranchers First initiative aimed at "fortifying the American beef industry."

"Idaho's efforts to begin rebuilding its cow herd were slowed by the loss of range due to wildfires in 2024," the university said in its report. "The U.S. beef cow herd is expected to grow again in 2026."

After a year of record beef prices, the University of Idaho is expecting its rise to the highest of all Idaho agricultural commodities to be short-lived.

"Revenues from milk production are expected to reclaim their place as the highest of all agricultural commodities produced in Idaho in 2026 or 2027," it said.

Statewide, milk, cattle and calves, and other livestock, made up 68% of total agricultural cash receipts in 2025. The livestock sector drove "nearly all revenue gains" in Idaho agriculture over the last two years.

"Except for 2009 — a year of disastrously poor milk prices — livestock cash receipts have surpassed crop cash receipts for every year since 2001. In 2025, livestock cash receipts are estimated to surpass crop cash receipts by more than $4.3 billion," according to the university.

Potatoes, Idaho's largest cash crop, ranked third in 2025. Cash receipts were estimated at $1.1 billion, down slightly from $1.25 billion in 2024.

Rounding out the top five, wheat ranked No. 4 with about $518 million in cash receipts. That amount is a 15% decrease from $610 million in 2024. Sugar beets ranked No. 5, with $460 million in farm cash receipts, a 2% decrease from $470 million.

The USDA's full report is available here. The University of Idaho's report on the financial condition of agriculture is available here.