Texas is responsible for nearly 5 percent of U.S. milk production, an increase of 1.5 percent from 1999. That increase can be attributed to one geographic region—the Panhandle.
Eight of the top 10 dairy counties in Texas are now in the Panhandle. Dry climate, cheaper land and communities supportive to animal agriculture make the area an ideal location for dairies, according to Ag Web.
Dairies and feedlots bring infrastructure to the High Plains of Texas. Their success can be attributed to the Ogallala Aquifer that supplies ground water for irrigation and watering livestock.