The decline in dairy farms in the Southeast United States has outpaced the decline in the United States overall. Although the inventory of dairy cows has remained roughly unchanged in the last decade, the number of US dairy herds has declined by 58% while the southeast lost 71% of its herds. Challenges of consistently producing high quality milk have likely contributed to this decline. The focus of this study was to identify farm/farmer characteristics and farmers’ attitudes and perceptions about mastitis and mastitis management related to SCC (as a marker of milk quality) and to dairy farm closure. A mail survey of dairy farms in operation, or which had ceased milk production over the previous 3 years, in 7 Southeast states captured information about BTSCC levels, farm characteristics, operator characteristics, farm management practices, information sources accessed by the operators, and operators’ perceptions of and attitudes about mastitis and mastitis management. A probit regression model was used to determine factors were associated with the dairy’s operational status (closed or operational). Closed dairies had lower average milk production per cow, smaller herd size and greater age of the farm’s primary operator. Operators of closed dairies reported that the lowest level of bulk tank SCC (BTSCC) that caused them concern was on average 418,000 cells/mL, while operators of dairies still in business reported concern at 338,000 cells/mL. Several variables reveal a relationship between milk quality and dairies’ operational status. The positive influence of the presences of both incentives for high quality milk and penalties for milk of quality below a specific threshold demonstrates that milk payments supplemented by incentives and/or penalties are contributing to dairies remaining operational. Some management practices also contribute to dairies’ operational status. Having the primary dairy operator in the parlor routinely for milking is associated with dairy closure and may reflect either small-sized dairies or understaffed dairies. Routine bacterial culturing, participation in DHIA testing, and using antibiotic therapy to treat clinical mastitis each have negative marginal effects and are associated with dairy closure. While each of these dairy practices has a role in good herd and dairy management, this finding may suggest that poor performing dairies are turning to these practices because of consistently high BTSCCs and/or high rates of clinical mastitis, both of which could be associated with poor awareness of or poor execution of other mastitis prevention and management practices.