According to KCHA News, all milk from the cows at the Iowa
State Fair will be dumped.
In past years the milk was sold to a co-op in Des Moines for
cheese. But this year the buyer backed out and the fair will dump all the milk
collected from the 11-day event.
Dumping excess milk is common in the dairy industry. Last
year U.S. dairy farmers dumped
tens of millions of gallons after a massive glut to manipulate prices. Yes,
you read that right. In the name of profits, dairy farmers took milk that could
have gone to the baby calves it was intended for and poured it down the drain.
The truth is that the dairy industry is struggling. In fact,
consumption is at an all-time low. According to a 2013 USDA report, dairy consumption has been on the
decline for decades. It has fallen a whopping 40 percent since 1970, with each
generation consuming less milk than the one before.
Additionally, an industry marketing firm supported by the
U.S. government, Dairy Management Inc., has invested
millions of dollars into working with fast-food companies to create
milk-heavy new menu items. What’s more, the dairy industry asked the USDA to
use taxpayer
money to bail it out.
But none of this will save the industry. Why? Because the
public is wising up to the sickening animal cruelty that runs rampant at dairy
farms. It’s shameful that farmers, the government, and corporations aren’t
listening to consumers. Dairy production is not only dangerous
for our planet but also inherently
cruel.
Mercy For Animals investigations
at dairy facilities throughout the U.S. and Canada have documented a
culture of cruelty and neglect. Cows used in dairy production are treated as
mere milk-producing machines, and their lives are filled with fear and misery.
See for yourself.
Fortunately, you can take matters into your own
hands by ditching dairy and all other animal products and switching to a
compassionate vegan diet. Click here to get started!