USDA NIFA Annual Progress Report · Year 2 · April 2025 – March 2026

Demonstrating, promoting and enhancing the sustainability of dairy goat production in the United States

A systems-based research, education and extension project on the fastest-growing commercial livestock sector in the US — from herd health and life cycle assessment to rural community development.

The Year at a Glance

105

goats sampled from 32 farms for respiratory pathogens at the 2025 ADGA National Show

273

live attendees across 9 Dairy Goat Series webinars

244,742

goats managed or advised on by webinar participants who responded

39 + 25

US states and countries reached by webinar recordings

16

usable Iowa farm datasets behind the 2024 profitability report

23

students in the first offering of ANS 1030X, Introduction to Dairy Goat Production

Why dairy goats?

Goats stay productive even in arid regions, and dairy goat operations need relatively little land and capital while offering strong value-added markets — on-farm cheese, soap and lotion. That makes them a way to intensify production sustainably while supporting diverse farmers and small rural communities.

Anticipated Outcomes

  1. A computerized analysis tool to help producers cut their carbon footprint and water use
  2. Improved health tools for dairy goats
  3. Stronger rural economic infrastructure with diversified goat producers
  4. Integrated education and extension supporting these sustainable systems

The project is based at Iowa State University and the work is supported by the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative's Sustainable Agricultural Systems (SAS) program grant no. 2024-68012-41749 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and should not be construed to represent any official USDA or U.S. Government determination or policy.