IDFA continues to demonstrate that the dairy industry has a powerful economic impact – $620 billion in total – on the American economy. Did you know that dairy also indirectly supports unique industries across the nation, like plastics packaging materials? Dairy companies, distributors and retailers support American plastics packaging materials manufacturers in a number of ways. Nearly 2,830 jobs in the plastics packaging materials manufacturing industry depend on spending by the dairy industry or dairy industry employees. This includes over 2,460 manufacturing jobs that are making plastics packaging materials used by the dairy industry, ranging from unlaminated films and sheets used in things like flexible packaging to plastic bags. These jobs are the result of purchases directly paid for by dairy companies. About 360 additional jobs for plastics packaging materials manufacturers result from dairy employees and supplier employees purchasing items that come in flexible packaging or other items that use plastic packaging materials for their personal use. All told, the dairy industry creates $206.7 million in wages and almost $1.3 billion in economic impact for American plastics packaging materials and unlaminated film and sheet manufacturers.

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.