iBet uBet web content aggregator. Adding the entire web to your favor.
iBet uBet web content aggregator. Adding the entire web to your favor.



Link to original content: http://wikipedia.org/wiki/Wisconsin_dairy_industry
Wisconsin dairy industry - Wikipedia Jump to content

Wisconsin dairy industry

This is a good article. Click here for more information.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Dairy farm in Western Wisconsin

Dairy is a major industry in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Being known for its dairy production, the state is often called "America's Dairyland." The industry is prominent in official state symbols—being displayed on the state's license plates, state's slogan, and on the state quarter.

Dairying in Wisconsin includes the harvesting and processing of animal milk, usually from cows, and the processing into cheese, butter, or other dairy products. Dairy became an important industry in the late-19th century, following the invention of the refrigerated rail car. By 1915, Wisconsin had become the leading state for dairy production, only being surpassed by California in 1993.[1] As of 2018, Wisconsin ranks second in the United States in dairy production,[2] with over 7000 dairy farms that produce 2.44 billion pounds (1.11×10^9 kg) of milk per month.[3]

Farming

[edit]
Dairy cows at a Wisconsin family farm
Main article: Dairy farming

Dairy farming in Wisconsin became commercially viable in the late 19th century.[4] Since its founding, most dairy enterprises were family-owned farms.[5] Wisconsin dairy farms almost entirely hold dairy cows, typically in herds of over 100.[6] The cows are usually kept in a pasture and milked in the barn, two or three times per day. Most dairy farms grow much of their feed to offset the price of buying it wholesale.[7] Milking parlors, milking pipelines, and automated milking, while less common, are found in Wisconsin farms.[8] Many family farms also produce cheese or butter, alongside milk.[9]

Automatic milking systems were developed in the late 20th century and slowly introduced to Wisconsin farms.[10] Since its introduction, Intensive dairy farming, also called factory-farms, has allowed farmers to keep upwards of 750 cows. These large-scale operations have been forcing smaller family farms out of business.[11]

Products

[edit]

Wisconsin dairies produce a variety of products from processing milk. The most notable are cheese and butter.

Cheese

[edit]
Main article: Wisconsin cheese
A "cheese cave" used to age cheeses.

Wisconsin has been making cheese since the start of its dairy industry. In the 19th century, much of the milk was made into cheese, because it kept longer than milk or butter. In the latter half of the 19th century, cheese production moved from the farms to specialized factories, resulting in higher quality cheese. In 1921, Wisconsin became the first state to grade cheese by its quality.[12] As of 2020, Wisconsin produces 26% of all cheese in the US, totaling 3.39 billion pounds (1.54×10^9 kg) of cheese in the last year.[13]

A worker in a New Glarus cheese factory places a Wisconsin stamp on wheels of cheese (1922)

Wisconsin cheesemakers produce hundreds of varieties.[14] Settlers in Wisconsin brought their local cheese varieties with them. Swiss cheese being one of the first, alongside mozzarella and provolone. Some varieties were invented in Wisconsin, including brick and Colby cheese.[15] Varieties of cheese produced in Wisconsin include cheddar, muenster, and feta, in which it leads the US.[14] Within Wisconsin, mozzarella accounts for 31% of all cheese produced, while cheddar accounts for 21%.[16]

Wisconsin requires cheese production to be performed or supervised by a licensed cheesemaker, being the only state in the US to require certification.[17] The state also requires cheese sold to be graded for its quality, ranging from grade A to grade D. Producers must also label the age, moisture, and milkfat content.[18]

Butter

[edit]
Land O'Lakes plant in Hillsboro, Wisconsin

Butter is another common dairy product produced in Wisconsin. As of 2008, Wisconsin produces 22% of butter in the US, totaling 361 million pounds (164×10^6 kg) of butter.[19] Wisconsin requires buttermakers to hold a license to produce butter, also being the only state in the US to require certification.[20][21]

History

[edit]

The Wisconsin dairy industry began in the latter half of the 19th century. The first farms in Wisconsin exclusively produced wheat. At their peak, Wisconsin farms produced 27 million US bushels (950,000 m3) of wheat.[22] Rapidly, in the 1860s, the wheat farms began suffering mass soil depletion and insect infestations, lowering the quality and yield of the crop.[4] During the 1880s, with pressure from the Wisconsin Dairymen’s Association, farms across the state began switching to producing dairy.[23]

The invention and widespread use of the refrigerated rail car allowed many farms to switch to producing dairy products and raising feed crops instead of wheat.[24] They were highly successful, and by the start of the 20th century, over 90% of farms were dairy.[25]

During the late 19th century, cheesemakers in Wisconsin invented new varieties of cheese. These included brick and Colby, which are both derived from cheddar cheese. Brick cheese is created by using a higher temperature during the culturing process, leading to a softer texture. Brick cheese is traditional on Detroit-style pizza.[26] Colby cheese forgoes the cheddaring process, instead partially draining the whey and adding cold water to the curds. This process gives it a mild flavor and a texture that is moister and softer than cheddar. Traditionally, Colby is pressed into a cylindrical from called a longhorn. The cheese was invented by Joseph Steinwand and was named after the township of their cheese factory, Colby, Wisconsin.[27][28]

The first dairy school building at the University of Wisconsin

In 1890, Stephen Babcock from the University of Wisconsin–Madison developed a test to determine milkfat content.[29] This innovation led to higher quality milk and dairy products.[30] By 1915, Wisconsin became the leading state for dairy production, a lead it would maintain until 1993.[23]

In 1895, the Wisconsin legislature prohibited the sale of yellow margarine, fearing that it would disrupt the state's dairy industry.[31] So manufacturers switched to producing pink margarine. The margarine ban lasted for 75 years, until it was overturned in 1967. Wisconsin was the last state to repeal its margarine ban, the previous being Minnesota, which overturned theirs in 1963.[32] But it is still illegal for restaurants to serve margarine, unless the customer requests it. While the ban was never enforced, it carried a $6,000 fine.[33]

The state requires all butter and cheese makers to hold a license. These rules were created in 1929, because of the amount of substandard product in Wisconsin.[19]

In 1933, during the Great Depression, there was a series of strikes by Wisconsin dairy farmers attempting to raise the price of milk. The cooperative group of farmers attempted to coordinate their efforts with larger groups, including the Farmers' Holiday Association. However, the larger groups ended their strike early to avoid losses.[34]

In the 1970s, more and more ordinary folks were consuming cheese. This made it possible for gourmet cheese shops to rise, most of them being mom-and-pop shops. To this day, only a handful of these historical family businesses are still operational.

When states, such as California, started to experiment with new factory-farms, they saw great success, compared to Wisconsin's family farms. Throughout the late 20th-century, California dairy production started to grow rapidly, replacing Wisconsin as the leading state for milk production in 1993.[1][35] Many of Wisconsin's family farms have been closing down, due to increased competition from large factory farms.[36] Since 2005, about half of the dairy farms have closed,[37] leaving Wisconsin with 7000 dairy farms in 2020.[3]

Rising tariffs on dairy products have also been a major contributor to the decrease in productivity in Wisconsin. In 2018, China and Mexico imposed large tariffs on the US, making it harder for farms to sell their dairy products. Farmers across Wisconsin lost an estimated $40,000 in yearly revenue due to these tariffs.[36] The number of immigrant dairy workers is rising, from 5% in 2000 to 40% in 2010. This increase is due to many farmers looking to increase the size of their herds, which requires more workers.[38] Another decrease of productivity resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic, especially during 2020. The decrease in demand forced farmers to dump excess milk, since they were unable to sell it.[39][40] The industry quickly rebounded in late 2020, after Wisconsin loosened its lockdowns.[41]

Cultural significance

[edit]
1987 Wisconsin license plate
1987 Wisconsin license plate, displaying the farm graphic and the state's slogan.

The prominence of the dairy industry in Wisconsin has led to Wisconsin being known as "America's Dairyland",[42][43] which was made the official state slogan in 1940.[44] After it was designated as Wisconsin's official slogan, "America's Dairyland" was printed on the state's license plates, at first replacing the "Wisconsin" text, but later both were included.[45] In 1986 a graphic representing a dairy farm was added to the plate.[46][47]

In 1971, the dairy cow was designated as the official state domesticated animal.[48] Milk was designated as the official state beverage in 1987.[49][44] Every year since 1967, Madison has held the World Dairy Expo: a five day-event showcasing the dairy industry, ranging from dairy cattle to ice cream.[50] Since 1998, there has been an effort to make Colby the official state cheese, however no action has been taken.[51]

"Cheeseheads" is a nickname for people from Wisconsin or fans of the Green Bay Packers NFL football franchise.[52] Cheese-wedge shaped hats are a common sight at Packers games, especially since 1994.[53] The dairy industry is prominently displayed on Wisconsin's state quarter, which features a round of cheese, head of a Holstein cow, and an ear of corn.[54]

Environmental impact

[edit]

The large scale production of dairy in Wisconsin has been a notable source of pollution to surface water. Manure lagoons used by the industry frequently spill over or leak into the ground due to their usually insecure linings.[55][56] Additionally, crops are often oversprayed with manure, leading to runoff into the surrounding water and increased risk of airborne disease spread.[57][58] Both practices cause nutrients such as Phosphorus and Nitrogen to reach excessive levels in bodies of water, leading to toxic algal blooms, fish kills, and dead zones.[58][59]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Oncken, John (August 19, 2020). "Dairy farming – still a challenging industry". Wisconsin State Farmer. Archived from the original on October 1, 2020. Retrieved December 2, 2020.
  2. ^ Dairy Business News Team DP (July 15, 2018). "Top Ten Milk Producing States in May 2018". Dairy Business News. Archived from the original on January 22, 2021. Retrieved December 2, 2020. {{cite news}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  3. ^ a b "Our Farms". Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin. Archived from the original on December 5, 2020. Retrieved December 2, 2020.
  4. ^ a b Elbing (1931), p. 2
  5. ^ Phelps, Nathan. "Most Wisconsin farms listed as 'family-owned' operations". Green Bay Press-Gazette. Archived from the original on September 22, 2021. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
  6. ^ "Wisconsin Monthly Dairy Farms Statistics". Wisconsin Cheese. Archived from the original on May 19, 2021. Retrieved May 19, 2021.
  7. ^ AbdulQuadri, Agbabiaka (April 12, 2022). "How To Feed Dairy Cows". Justagric. Archived from the original on May 17, 2024. Retrieved October 10, 2022.
  8. ^ Kim, Hemi. "What Is Dairy Farming, How Does It Work, and Why Is It Bad?". Sentient Media. Archived from the original on September 10, 2021. Retrieved September 10, 2021.
  9. ^ "How the smaller dairy businesses compete". WGBA. September 10, 2021. Archived from the original on September 10, 2021. Retrieved September 10, 2021.
  10. ^ "Wisconsin Dairy Farmers Join Forces to Use Automatic Milking Robots - Farm Flavor". farmflavor.com. July 26, 2017. Archived from the original on October 10, 2022. Retrieved October 10, 2022.
  11. ^ "Industrial dairy farming is taking over in Wisconsin, crowding out family operations and raising environmental concerns". Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. December 6, 2019. Archived from the original on November 22, 2020. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  12. ^ "cheesemaking in Wisconsin". Wisconsin Historical Society. August 3, 2012. Archived from the original on September 22, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2021.
  13. ^ "DATCP Home Wisconsin Agricultural Statistics". Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. Archived from the original on March 27, 2021. Retrieved May 12, 2021.
  14. ^ a b "DATCP Home Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board (dba Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin)". datcp.wi.gov. Archived from the original on September 3, 2021. Retrieved September 3, 2021.
  15. ^ "About us - Wisconsin Cheese". wisconsincheese.com. Archived from the original on September 3, 2021. Retrieved September 3, 2021.
  16. ^ "WIsconsin Production Share by Variety". 2020. Archived from the original on September 4, 2021. Retrieved September 4, 2021.
  17. ^ Malina, Chris (June 1, 2016). "Want To Make Cheese In Wisconsin? It's Harder Than One Might Think". Wisconsin Public Radio. Archived from the original on September 7, 2021. Retrieved September 7, 2021.
  18. ^ "Wisconsin Legislature ATCP 81 – Cheese Grading, Packaging and Labeling". docs.legis.wisconsin.gov. Archived from the original on January 30, 2021. Retrieved September 7, 2021.
  19. ^ a b Burns, Jane (September 4, 2010). "Amid a rise in artisanal butter, state to make it easier to get a buttermaker license". madison.com. Archived from the original on May 7, 2021. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
  20. ^ "Wisconsin Legislature: Chapter ATCP 69". docs.legis.wisconsin.gov. July 2011. Archived from the original on January 30, 2021. Retrieved September 7, 2021.
  21. ^ "Butter licensing in Wisconsin". madison.com. September 4, 2010. Archived from the original on September 7, 2021. Retrieved September 7, 2021.
  22. ^ Thompson (1909)
  23. ^ a b Brockman, Amber (September 3, 2020). "Dare I Say We're a Dairy State?". The Advance-Titan. University of Wisconsin–Oshkosh. Archived from the original on November 29, 2020. Retrieved December 5, 2020.
  24. ^ Trewartha (1924)
  25. ^ "Dairy Industry in Wisconsin". Wisconsin Historical Society. August 3, 2012. Archived from the original on November 11, 2020. Retrieved December 2, 2020.
  26. ^ López-Alt, J. Kenji (February 28, 2017). "Detroit-Style Pizza Is the Best Thing You're Gonna Make This Year | The Food Lab". Serious Eats. Archived from the original on April 14, 2020. Retrieved April 22, 2020.
  27. ^ "Colby Info". New England Cheesemaking Supply Company. Archived from the original on September 4, 2021. Retrieved September 4, 2021.
  28. ^ White, Laurel (July 7, 2021). "Colby Angles To Be Wisconsin's Big Cheese". Wisconsin Public Radio. Archived from the original on September 4, 2021. Retrieved September 4, 2021.
  29. ^ "Sylvia Deserves Much Credit for the Milk Tester". Lancaster Teller. February 11, 1915. Archived from the original on September 22, 2021. Retrieved April 29, 2021.
  30. ^ Robson, James. "Dairy important to Wisconsin's past, future". Green Bay Press-Gazette. Archived from the original on March 31, 2021. Retrieved March 23, 2021.
  31. ^ Eschner, Kat. "The 1870s Dairy Lobby Turned Margarine Pink So People Would Buy Butter". Smithsonian Magazine. Archived from the original on May 18, 2021. Retrieved May 18, 2021.
  32. ^ Foran, Chris. "Wisconsin banned selling yellow margarine for 72 years, so residents smuggled it in from Illinois". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Archived from the original on May 17, 2021. Retrieved May 17, 2021.
  33. ^ "Wisconsin's wacky butter laws spread over centuries". OnMilwaukee. January 9, 2019. Archived from the original on May 17, 2021. Retrieved May 17, 2021.
  34. ^ Jacobs (1951), p. 30–35
  35. ^ Barboza, David (June 28, 2001). "America's Cheese State Fights to Stay that Way; Wisconsin Struggles to Keep Pace with West". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on April 17, 2016. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
  36. ^ a b Barrett, Rick (February 18, 2020). "'Struggling to Tread Water': Dairy Farmers Are Caught in an Economic System with No Winning Formula". Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. Archived from the original on December 11, 2020. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
  37. ^ "'America's Dairyland': Wisconsin's farmers see bleak future". the Guardian. February 23, 2020. Archived from the original on June 26, 2021. Retrieved May 17, 2021.
  38. ^ Kushner, Jacobs (May 26, 2010). "Wisconsin dairy farms are growing — along with their immigrant work forces". Wisconsin Watch. Archived from the original on March 14, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2021.
  39. ^ Barrett, Rick (April 3, 2020). "Wisconsin Farmers Forced to Dump Milk as Coronavirus Slams a Fragile Dairy Economy". USA Today. Archived from the original on June 1, 2020. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
  40. ^ Clauss, Olivia (March 31, 2020). "Dairy Farmers Grapple with Economic Fallout of COVID-19". The Badger Herald. Archived from the original on January 22, 2021. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
  41. ^ Alexander, McKenna (November 16, 2020). "COVID-19 Impact on Wisconsin Dairy Farmers". Eau Claire, Wisconsin: WQOW-TV. Archived from the original on November 17, 2020. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
  42. ^ "What is Wisconsin Known For?". WorldAtlas. October 24, 2018. Archived from the original on September 7, 2021. Retrieved September 7, 2021.
  43. ^ Urdang, Laurence (1988). Names and Nicknames of Places and Things. Penguin Group USA. p. 8. ISBN 9780452009073. Archived from the original on September 6, 2015. Retrieved May 25, 2015 – via Google Books. 'America's Dairyland' A nickname of Wisconsin
  44. ^ a b "Wisconsin State Symbols". Wisconsin Historical Society. May 23, 2012. Archived from the original on September 7, 2021. Retrieved September 7, 2021.
  45. ^ "Passenger Vehicles, 1905-1941 - The Wisconsin Pages - The Andrew Turnbull License Plate Gallery". www.andrewturnbull.net. Archived from the original on October 24, 2020. Retrieved September 8, 2021.
  46. ^ Journal, Bill Novak | Wisconsin State (November 14, 2017). "'America's Dairyland' will stay on Wisconsin license plates, governor says". madison.com. Archived from the original on May 6, 2021. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
  47. ^ "The Evolution of Wisconsin License Plates". La Crosse County Historical Society. Archived from the original on May 6, 2021. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
  48. ^ "Wisconsin State Domesticated Animal | Dairy Cow". State Symbols USA. April 25, 2014. Archived from the original on January 22, 2021. Retrieved March 27, 2021.
  49. ^ "Wisconsin State Beverage | Milk". statesymbolsusa.org. April 26, 2014. Archived from the original on January 16, 2021. Retrieved September 6, 2021.
  50. ^ Journal, Mitchell Schmidt | Wisconsin State (August 20, 2021). "The cream of the crop: Judges rank World Dairy Expo submissions for cheese, milk, butter and ice cream". madison.com. Archived from the original on September 8, 2021. Retrieved September 8, 2021.
  51. ^ Karnopp, Hope (July 7, 2021). "A bill to make Colby the official state cheese is getting another chance at becoming a law". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Archived from the original on July 8, 2021. Retrieved December 16, 2021.
  52. ^ Kapler, Joseph Jr. (Spring 2002). "On Wisconsin Icons: When You Say 'Wisconsin', What Do You Say?". The Wisconsin Magazine of History. Vol. 85, no. 3. pp. 18–31. JSTOR 4636969. Archived from the original on December 26, 2018.
  53. ^ "The Big Cheese: Cheesehead inventor profits from insults". Archived from the original on July 14, 2014.
  54. ^ Walters, Steven. "Doyle flips decision, puts cow on quarter". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Archived from the original on March 21, 2007. Retrieved March 30, 2007.
  55. ^ Redman, Henry; Redman (June 2, 2022). "Five years after massive manure spill, residents fighting for clean water". Wisconsin Examiner. Archived from the original on May 1, 2024. Retrieved January 20, 2024.
  56. ^ Raff, Zach; Meyer, Andrew (May 4, 2021). "CAFOs and Surface Water Quality: Evidence from Wisconsin". American Journal of Agricultural Economics. 104 (1): 161–189. doi:10.1111/ajae.12222. ISSN 0002-9092. S2CID 235528157. Archived from the original on May 17, 2024. Retrieved January 20, 2024.
  57. ^ Bergquist, Lee (April 13, 2013). "Manure spraying takes hold on some Wisconsin farms - and not everybody's happy". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Archived from the original on February 26, 2024. Retrieved January 20, 2024.
  58. ^ a b Kaeding, Danielle (February 16, 2022). "Report: Too much manure and fertilizer is being spread in some areas at the expense of water quality". WPR. Archived from the original on May 17, 2024. Retrieved January 20, 2024.
  59. ^ Egan, Dan (September 2, 2021). "Dead zones haunt Green Bay as manure fuels algae blooms". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Archived from the original on January 8, 2024. Retrieved January 20, 2024.

Sources

[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Dairy farms in Wisconsin.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Wisconsin_dairy_industry&oldid=1254128271"