Coronavirus causing surplus of milk, financial hardship for dairy industry
Northwest Dairy Foods Association is seeking government’s assistance at state, federal levels.
Members of Northeast Dairy Foods Association Inc., North Syracuse, N.Y., as well as dairy producers and others in the food supply chain, have been greatly impacted by the coronavirus, putting the nation’s dairy farmers and milk processors business’ in great financial jeopardy. The association said it is seeking the government’s assistance at the state and federal levels to ensure the stability of the dairy industry through the COVID-19 pandemic and ease the economic burden that is being placed on the industry.
With schools and restaurants closed or greatly scaled back during this time, many dairy product orders for milk, cheese, yogurt and ice cream have been canceled. Additionally, the cancellation of orders at unprecedented levels has led to processors and producers having to dump loads of raw milk and, in turn, reduced the amount of milk being purchased from dairy producers, the association said.