Posted on 11/12/2019 10:18:52 AM PST by Red Badger
Dean Foods, America's biggest milk processor, filed for bankruptcy Tuesday amid a steep, decades-long drop-off in U.S. milk consumption blamed on soda, juices and, more recently, nondairy substitutes.
The Dallas company said it may sell itself to the Dairy Farmers of America, a marketing cooperative owned by thousands of farmers.
"Despite our best efforts to make our business more agile and cost-efficient, we continue to be impacted by a challenging operating environment marked by continuing declines in consumer milk consumption," CEO Eric Berigause said in a statement.
Since 1975, the amount of milk consumed per capita in America has tumbled more than 40%, a slide attributed to a number of reasons but mostly the rise of so many other choices, including teas, sodas, juices and almond and soy milk.
(Excerpt) Read more at weartv.com ...
Nothing is guaranteed to last forever, not even billion dollar industries. For various reasons, certain products will lose favor from one generation to the next. Some will refuse to patronize the same products they grew up with just because those old products were forced on them by their parents.
I pay $1.59/gallon for milk at Kroger. Not that long ago they charged $1.19/gal.
It’s by far the cheapest place in town to get it. I think it’s ~$3 at most other supermarkets. I’m surprised that Kroger never advertises it.
As far as I know, there are still huge tariffs charged to American dairy products exported to Canada. If the USMCA ever gets passed, I think (not sure) that Canada will lower those tariffs considerably...which means my price will likely go up...at least for a while.
We have too much milk. Cow farmers now run their business at a far lower cost. Now a farmer can run a good sized operation with just a handful of employees. Cows never leave the barn. Its just too easy for larger dairies to become larger. Its gotten to the point that Wisconsin can make all the milk America needs. California and Florida are shrinking milk production because the land is more valuable for other purposes. The free market is simply at work here taking out middle men on a very efficient business.
American Milk is too heavily processed. Milk in general is okay.
In some states I am sure it could, not sure about all of them... Here in PA for example milk prices are controlled by the PA Milk Control Commission... they have set prices that must be paid to farmers, and minimum prices that retailers are allowed to charge...
You cannot have a loss leader sale on milk at a super market, as you cannot sell milk below the published retail price.. nor can you buy it from a supplier for less.
Some of the local farms around me will do home delivery, but their price is about double the retail price... so its more a niche operation for folks who want farm fresh milk than practical large scale, but its probably doable in some markets.
Coca Cola is about $3 per gallon. And you get a lot more bang for your buck with milk.
Ive been drinking milk all my life, as I get older the fantasy content gets smaller (darn!) but I still like it with a sandwich or after dinner.
Does this mean the Milkmen are Dead?
You probably have Union Cows.
I drink milk, just because I like to engage in micro aggressions against those who are lactose intolerant
ICE COLD.. just above freezing, with a frozen Reece’s Miniature cup or two is a nice way to end the day.
Milk is rayciss.
“almond and soy milk”
the labels i’ve read on almond and soy “milk” in the grocery stores indicate that they’re just another highly sugared juice ...
I remember Twin Pines delivering to our milk chute.
(Also how I got in to unlock the house a few times. I was much narrower then!)
The old dairy operations were massive farms. Farms big enough to run a proper trucking operation, and to make their own cheeses and icecream and what not. That takes care of paying the farmer properly and slashes delivery costs compared to a small farm.
I don’t think I still have a milk box though.
Will need a new one.
“The vegans will milk this to show they are winning.”
unless they artificially supplement with synthetic B12, then they’re winning themselves into an early grave with self-induced pernicious anemia ...
Then buy Chocolate Milk.......................
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