US Government Buying Cheese to Support Dairy Farmers

This week, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced plans to purchase approximately 11 million pounds of cheese from private inventories to assist food banks across the nation.

The purchase, valued at $20 million, will be provided to families in need, while assisting the stalled marketplace for dairy producers whose revenues have dropped 35 per cent over the past two years.

Jim Mulhern, President and CEO of the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) commented: “We appreciate the prompt action taken by the US Department of Agriculture.

“This cheese purchase will provide some assistance to America’s dairy farmers through increased demand for their milk, while also serving the needs of Americans who patronise food banks and other charitable assistance organisations.

“We will continue to assess the economic situation facing dairy farmers, and suggest ways to help farmers endure this lengthy period of low prices.” – Click here to read more.

In research news this week, a new study reported in the journal mBio showed how the microbial populations in raw milk changes over time.

While harmful bacteria rarely reach the consumer, because they are destroyed during pasteurisation, other bacteria can cause spoilage issues or defects in the product.

The study showed that microbial populations were highly diverse but had a common core. The bacteria varied by season and populations also changed when the milk was placed in processing plants.

The researchers hope this information can help companies improve dairy product quality – read more.