Even a most superficial study of the Iowa dairy industry indicates its economic importance to the state. Dairying utilizes a huge physical production plant, spread out on almost 200,000 Iowa farms, and extensive processing and marketing facilities including creameries, ice cream plants, milk distributing agencies, cheese factories and condenseries. Together these constitute one of the states largest industries, providing about 16 percent of the income of Iowa farmers, and an important and dependable share of the income of townspeople.

No one group alone is interested in and responsible for the success of the Iowa dairy industry. The farmer or dairyman delivers his product to the wholesaler and manufacturer, who processes or manufactures it, then delivers it to retailers, who sell the finished product to the consumer.