Hawai'i milk production plunged 50 percent to 2.2 million pounds in September 2007, versus September 2006, according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service. Cumulative milk production for the first nine months of 2007 was down 35 percent at 29.0 million pounds.

The drop in milk production follows the closing of several dairies including Wai'anae Mountain View Dairy, which delivered its last milk in June. Pacific Dairy in Wai'anae is the last remaining dairy in operation on O'ahu.

The loss of dairies and other livestock operations comes amid rising feed, shipping and land costs, urban encroachment, environmental regulations and stagnant sales.

During September, commercial pork production fell 21 percent to 253,000 pounds. Cumulative pork production for the first nine months of 2007 totaled 2.5 million pounds, which was down 11 percent from a year ago.

At the same time Hawai'i egg production fell 16 percent to 6.4 million in September.

Year-to-date egg production was down 18 percent to 61.3 million eggs.

Commercial beef production rose fractionally in September to 536,000 pounds. Cumulative beef production through September totaled 4.9 million pounds, which was up 4 percent from the year-ago period.

In an attempt to stabilize the livestock industry, lawmakers this year passed a bill creating a $3 million-a-year, two-year program aimed at subsidizing feed costs for livestock producers.