Got milk? Yes, actually, U.S. has too much.

politico ^

[mylife]

Some parts of the nation have seen localized spikes in milk prices. But most of the nation is facing an oversupply of milk — a challenge policy makers have been struggling to address.

Yes, food prices are up. But no, average U.S. milk prices aren’t skyrocketing — they’ve basically stayed the same since January.

That’s because the U.S. overall has an oversupply of milk, and it’s gotten worse over the past few decades as smaller farms have shuttered and larger farms have bought up their livestock and increasingly dominated the industry.

It’s been a problem that policymakers have been struggling to confront for years. And it’s not clear that Washington, D.C., will address this issue because other food prices have been rising much more as a result of the pandemic-induced supply chain breakdowns. The Biden administration has pledged to address antitrust issues in industries ranging from technology to meatpacking. But so far, the dairy sector hasn’t been the focus yet in part because consumers aren’t seeing significantly higher prices as a result of consolidation.

A CNN report this week triggered a brief social media spectacle after it featured a family saying retail milk prices skyrocketed (up 79 cents a gallon over just a few weeks for that couple in the Dallas area who were interviewed and said their family consumes 12 gallons a week). In fact, the average price of milk nationally has largely stayed steady throughout the year, according to the Agriculture Department.

Overall, the U.S. has been making more milk than it can use. “The availability and supply of milk is not a concern, it’s a concern about moving that milk to where it’s needed,” said Matt Herrick of the International Dairy Foods Association, one of the largest dairy lobby groups in the U.S.

[P.O.E.]

Provolone.
Ricotta.
Mascarpone.

[Doc91678]

I agree...
There is no reason to tax dairy farmers out of existence.
Most of the dairy farmers I have known are not rich.
Many retire by raising beef and claim it’s a much easier life.