The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
Milk dumping during COVID-19 - and what you can do to help
When things get tough for the dairy industry, it gets personal in Madison County. Our county is the home of several dairy processing plants, artisanal dairy production and most importantly the hardworking dairy farmers, who stretch from the far end of Sullivan to the corner of Brookfield. COVID-19 has affected us all in more ways than we can count. Through it all, our local dairy farmers are out in the barn every day, providing us with the 9 essential nutrients that we need.
Think about all the times during your day that you may consume dairy. Got some coffee brewing? You are likely to add cream to your cup. Time for snack? Many of us enjoy a cup of yogurt or some tasty soft serve ice cream. Eating burgers for dinner? You can use local beef, put cheese on top, and wash it down with an ice-cold glass of milk. These are all products that are produced right here within Madison County, and we need not drive far to see firsthand how hard our local farmers are working to feed us.
During the COVID-19 pandemic our dairy farmers have been asked to dump the one thing that they work hard to produce every day, milk. This has given rise to several questions and concerns such as, “Why are farmers dumping milk if there is none for me to buy at the store?” and “Why can’t the plants just bottle milk more quickly?” Our desire is to help consumers understand a little more clearly why these measures are being taken.
1. Farmers do not control how much milk is bottled, when its
bottled, or where it is bottled. Dairy producers typically sell their milk to a coop, who then sells the milk to a processor. Each processor directs that milk to a processing plant which has a specialty (fluid milk in jugs for stores, fluid milk in cartons or bags for schools, cream, yogurt, powdered, cheese, etc.). 2. Processors cannot go from processing cartons of milk on a Monday, to jugs of milk on a Friday. Each plant has specialized equipment and machines, with trained employees, to be the most efficient at processing dairy. Remember, milk gets from the farm to you within 48 hours! 3. Another thing to consider is the impact of practicing social distancing. Milk and dairy products that are typically purchased by restaurants and schools are no longer being consumed. This means that the farms
supplying milk no longer have the same number of destinations for their products to go.
There is good news though! The people of Madison County are working so very hard to make sure that people who need dairy products such as milk, cheese, and yogurt are getting it. SUNY Morrisville has been running a “Dairy Drive-thru” program offering free dairy products to those who need it. This has been made possible by several generous donors such as Chobani, Dairy Farmers of America, Kraft-heinz, Cabot Creamery, Hood, and others. If you are looking for other ways to support the dairy industry, please consider making a dairy product donation to your local food pantry or food bank. Dairy is an item that is often sought after, but not always available. Remember that milk has a shorter shelf life than canned goods, so monetary donations to be used for dairy products are best because
they can then be purchased regularly to maintain freshness. Please continue to support out local hardworking dairy farmers. Buy as much dairy as you can, send a thank you card to your favorite farmer (dairy or not!), or donate to one of the wonderful programs occurring right in our very own county! Not sure how to connect with a local farmer? Mail a card or letter to us and we will make the connection: Cornell Cooperative Extension of Madison County; 100 Eaton Street; Morrisville, NY, 13408. Stay up to date with all of the CCE Madison County events and educational opportunities by visiting our website and/ or liking us on Facebook www.madisoncountycce. org.
“Cornell Cooperative Extension is an employer and educator recognized for valuing AA/EEO, Protected Veterans, and Individuals with Disabilities and provides equal program and employment opportunities”