6 years ago

Dairy Farmers Forced to Dump Milk Due to Lack of Demand Related to the Coronavirus Pandemic

Dairy farmers across America are forced to dump milk because of a lack of demand due to the coronavirus pandemic. As schools, restaurants, and workplaces close around the country, a huge portion of milk demand has dried up. Prices also reduced around the country to meet the lowered demand.

Operations are forced to dump their milk because they can’t sell it. “You can’t shut down cows. You can’t turn them off like a faucet,” Zoey Nelson, a dairy farmer in Waupaca, Wisconsin, told NBC News. “Just to see it literally going down the drain — it’s devastating.” Because milk is perishable, it cannot be saved or stored for later use like other items.

In an effort to reduce panic buying, grocery stores have placed purchase limits on items including milk. “We’re seeing a demand decrease of approximately 12 to 15 percent across the entire United States,” Jennifer Huson of the Dairy Farmers of America said on a dairy industry call, “and those demand changes are resulting in a lot of uncertainty. Dairy Farmers of America estimated that between 2.7 and 3.7 million gallons of milk could be dumped each day because of the pandemic.

The dairy industry was already having a rough 12 months before the pandemic. Two major producers filed for bankruptcy. The dairy industry has also been exposed for their cruel and abusive practices. In 2019, dairy giant Fair Oaks Farm were exposed but continue operating. Dairy consumption has been linked to many health problems, including acne, hormonal imbalance, cancer, prostate cancer and has many side effects.

It is also easy to make plant-based milk at home, check out this Simple Vanilla Oat Milk and How to Make Almond Milk.

Scientists believe that the spread of COVID-19, or coronavirus, started at an exotic animal market in Wuhan, China. You can help stop the incidence of viruses like these by signing this petition to ban the wildlife trade.

This is a good time to reconsider our intake of animal products to stay healthy. Eating more plant-based foods is known to help with chronic inflammation, heart health, mental wellbeing, fitness goals, nutritional needs, allergies, gut health and more! Dairy consumption also has been linked to many health problems, including acne, hormonal imbalance, cancer, prostate cancer and has many side effects.

Interested in joining the dairy-free and meatless train? We highly recommend downloading the Food Monster App — with over 15,000 delicious recipes it is the largest plant-based recipe resource to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy! And, while you are at it, we encourage you to also learn about the environmental and health benefits of a plant-based diet.

Catch up on our latest coronavirus coverage in One Green Planet, check out these articles:

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