The nation’s dairy farmers are dumping more milk this year amid a glut of supplies and low market prices. The Wall Street Journal reports dairy farmers in the U.S. have dumped 43 million gallons of milk in 2016, the most in 16 years. While the industry works to find new uses for the excess milk, many producers cannot afford to transfer the raw product for alternative use at current market prices, which have plummeted 36 percent since record prices in 2014. Dairy and meat producers started expanding operations two years ago in response to a shortage, a move that set the stage for the current global supply excess. The U.S. Department of Agriculture intervened again this month, pledging to buy excess cheese supplies. Full relief may be on the horizon, but not until the next farm bill. The American Farm Bureau Federation says it is evaluating recommendations for the next farm bill that would provide relief to the dairy industry. Meanwhile, a National Milk Producers Federation spokesperson said the Trans-Pacific Partnership would not be a magic bullet but would provide some relief to the industry.
From the National Association of Farm Broadcasting news service.