Mount Mozzarella: The US Cheese Surplus Piles Up

There are 1.3 billion pounds of cheese in storage this year.  That’s a lot.  That’s the record, in fact, and it’s a global phenomenon that we’re struggling to deal with.  Two years ago, dairy farmers responded to a spike in demand by massively increasing production, but that demand has trailed off, and our supply is now bulging like a ball of mozzarella.

Fortunately, the USDA is making a conscientious move to help those in need: by purchasing $20 million of the surplus to give to food banks across the country.  This is great for food banks, which don’t usually get much of the good stuff.  However, it’s only a small shred in the pile–less than 1% of the 1.3 billion pounds in storage.

Additionally, it won’t do much for the falling milk price, which is hurting groceries across the country.  In fact, “The Chicago Mercantile Exchange spot prices for cheddar cheese were down following the announcement,” said Mark Stephenson, director of dairy policy analysis at the University of Wisconsin, Madison.

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