IDFA continues to demonstrate that the dairy industry has a powerful economic impact – $628 billion in total – on the American economy. Did you know that dairy also indirectly supports unique industries across the nation, like tech companies?

Dairy companies, distributors and retailers support American data processing and hosting companies in a number of ways. More than 4,100 jobs in the data processing industry depend on spending by the dairy industry or dairy industry employees. This includes about 2,370 tech jobs that manage data for dairy companies that manufacture cheese, ice cream, yogurt and other products that Americans love. 

These jobs are the result of purchases directly paid for by dairy companies. About 1,740 additional jobs for data processing and hosting firm employees result from dairy employees and supplier employees purchasing or using these services in their homes. 

All told, the dairy industry creates $421.1 million in wages and almost $1.4 billion in economic impact for American data processing and hosting companies.

Dairy Delivers®

IDFA is sharing these deep dives into the data of Dairy Delivers®, its economic impact tool, to demonstrate dairy’s economic power and its ripple effect on other American industries.

Members with questions may contact Dave Carlin, IDFA senior vice president of legislative affairs and economic policy, at dcarlin@idfa.org.