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Milk Production Continues To Decline In Wis., Minn

MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- The rate of milk production continues to rise nationwide, even as it slows in Wisconsin and Minnesota.

The U.S. produced 15.4 billion pounds of milk last month. That was a 1 percent increase from the same month last year.

That improvement was driven by increases of 8 percent in Texas and 5 percent in Idaho.

But Wisconsin and Minnesota continued their trend of recent months, producing less milk this year than in comparable periods in 2010.

Wisconsin milk producers harvested 2.2 million pounds last month. Even though that keeps the state solidly in the No. 2 position behind California, it's a 4 percent drop from last year.

The decline was even steeper in Minnesota because of summer heat. Dairy farmers there produced 735,000 pounds, a 7 percent decrease.

(© Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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