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Farmers forced to dump excess milk due to oversupply
KTLA-TV5 ^ | Jul 13, 2023 / 09:56 AM PDT | by: Henry Amor, Nick Smith

Posted on 07/13/2023 10:50:41 AM PDT by Red Badger

* There is an oversupply of milk in the U.S.

* Cows have to be milked. If not, could cause bruising, sickness, even death

* Demand for milk is down 20% this year, the cost dropped to $1.78 per gallon

*********************************

CHICAGO (NewsNation) — There’s no shortage of milk in the U.S. these days. In fact, there is so much of it that farmers are being forced to get rid of it.

The issue at hand is that milk is a daily commodity. Whether there’s a demand for it or not, the cows have to be milked. If a cow is not milked, it could cause bruising, sickness and even death.

Once the milk is collected, it must be transported to a dairy facility for processing.

However, now there’s too much milk and it’s forcing farmers to dump it because the facilities can’t keep up with the demand and have run out of space to store the milk.

The processing plants are dealing with labor shortages, especially on the weekends, which means there’s less production of milk products.

In the upper Midwest, the demand for milk is down 20% this year. A Wisconsin-based dairy publication, The Milkweed, said that the daily loss of sales in the region equals about 25 semi-trailers of milk per day.

Because the demand for milk is down, so are the prices.

In June 2022, milk was at $2.30 per gallon, and the latest figures available from the U.S. Department of Agriculture show the price in April has dropped by more than $.50 per gallon to about $1.78 per gallon.

The price of class 3 milk, which is used to make cheese, is also on the decline. In June 2022, the price was $24.33 per hundredweight, and in May, it dropped by more than $8.

Cheese production facilities can’t take advantage of the cheaper milk prices because they also don’t have space to keep refrigerated products such as cheddar and mozzarella cheese.

The last time American farmers were forced to dump so much milk was during the COVID-19 pandemic when schools and restaurants were shut down. During that time, the demand for milk took a huge hit, but eventually was able to bounce back.

Farmers are hoping that happens again.

In the meantime, some Minnesota dairy farmers are downsizing by selling cows to try and balance out their over-supply issues.


TOPICS: Agriculture; Business/Economy; Food; Health/Medicine
KEYWORDS:
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To: con-surf-ative

Adults shouldn’t really ever drink milk anyway. It’s not good for you as an adult. A little cheese, whipped cream here and there and a dessert, maybe a little cream in the coffee if you’re that kind of person. But no adult should be drinking glasses of milk.


21 posted on 07/13/2023 11:06:16 AM PDT by DesertRhino (Dogs are called man's best friend. Moslems hate dogs. Add it up..)
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To: Red Badger

Give the kids more milk....stop with the water crap. Mammary glands do not secrete water.


22 posted on 07/13/2023 11:06:53 AM PDT by Sacajaweau ( )
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To: Red Badger

I have a theory.

Has everyone noticed that cereal is about $5-$7 a box?

Could be related.


23 posted on 07/13/2023 11:07:09 AM PDT by americas.best.days... ( Donald John Trump has pulled the sword from the stone.)
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To: con-surf-ative

But I think you have the point about soy milk, oat milk, almond milk and all these other things. My wife puts cream in her coffee. Once at the store she asked me to pick up some more half-and-half, and I couldn’t believe how hard I had to look in the milk cabinet to find just regular milk.


24 posted on 07/13/2023 11:07:28 AM PDT by DesertRhino (Dogs are called man's best friend. Moslems hate dogs. Add it up..)
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To: mikey_hates_everything

i payed $1.32/doz eggs this week.


25 posted on 07/13/2023 11:08:10 AM PDT by Sacajaweau ( )
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To: Chode
Myself and all my roommates went and got govt cheese each month in the early 80s.

Quite good but I suspect the free price may have improved the flavor some.

26 posted on 07/13/2023 11:09:38 AM PDT by Manic_Episode (A government of the government, by the government, for the government)
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To: con-surf-ative

I agree...we created a “no milk for me” population.


27 posted on 07/13/2023 11:09:57 AM PDT by Sacajaweau ( )
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To: americas.best.days...


"cereal is about $5-$7 a box"


Yeah, I couldn't believe that when I came back. Prices are insane anymore.
28 posted on 07/13/2023 11:11:24 AM PDT by Bikkuri (I am proud to be a PureBlood.)
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To: Red Badger

“There’s no shortage of milk in the U.S. these days. In fact, there is so much of it that farmers are being forced to get rid of it.”

Why not give it to all the poor folks around the world?
What about Dry Milk Powder?
Don’t have to Pasteurize it outside the US.
Put it in 275 Tote Tanks and airlift it out.
Folks been drinking raw milk since the beginning.

oOhhh . . you mean you can’t make any money giving it away.
Not even Donation to Charity?
Then go ahead and dump it.
EPA may have something to say about that.

If it ain’t yo Mama’s, it tain’t yo’s ta drank.


29 posted on 07/13/2023 11:12:31 AM PDT by Macoozie (Handcuffs and Orange Jumpsuits)
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To: Red Badger

But... er...
I’m sure there’s a whey out of the curds of too much milk.


30 posted on 07/13/2023 11:13:04 AM PDT by Nervous Tick (Jesus is LORD and Savior! And Donald Trump is President of the United States of America.)
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To: Nervous Tick

Where there’s spill, there’s a whey.................


31 posted on 07/13/2023 11:13:44 AM PDT by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegal aliens are put up in hotels.....................)
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To: Macoozie

They enjoy the high prices.

That is why it is dumped..................


32 posted on 07/13/2023 11:14:51 AM PDT by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegal aliens are put up in hotels.....................)
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To: americas.best.days...

There may be a grain of truth in that....................


33 posted on 07/13/2023 11:16:17 AM PDT by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegal aliens are put up in hotels.....................)
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To: Mr. K

Or ICE CREAM!...................


34 posted on 07/13/2023 11:17:25 AM PDT by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegal aliens are put up in hotels.....................)
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To: Red Badger

I have a sneaking suspicion that the reason an oversupply of milk doesn’t lower store prices is that a large portion of the cost is transportation, which is still much higher than it was when someone whose name rhymes with “dump” (what they’re doing with the milk) was in the cocaineless White House.


35 posted on 07/13/2023 11:21:18 AM PDT by chajin ("There is no other name under heaven given among people by which we must be saved." Acts 4:12)
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To: frogjerk

yea, i’m paying 3.48 for milk


36 posted on 07/13/2023 11:22:39 AM PDT by Ronald77
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To: sonova

It would also make a good calcium-rich fertilizer.

I use it in the garden when it gets past due


37 posted on 07/13/2023 11:24:28 AM PDT by waterhill (I Believe!)
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To: Red Badger

Or milk shakes


38 posted on 07/13/2023 11:28:05 AM PDT by gcparent (God Bless America )
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To: nickcarraway

“Cheese production facilities can’t take advantage of the cheaper milk prices because they also don’t have space to keep refrigerated products such as cheddar and mozzarella cheese.”


39 posted on 07/13/2023 11:30:02 AM PDT by Boogieman
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To: gcparent

Or YOGURT!

Or BUTTER!

Or PUDDING!..................


40 posted on 07/13/2023 11:30:11 AM PDT by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegal aliens are put up in hotels.....................)
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