Farmers in Upstate NY are being forced to dump milk because of oversupply. Meanwhile, food banks need more resources to help people in need. We’re connecting the dots by purchasing dumped milk and turning it into cheese.
We need your help! The global COVID19 pandemic has resulted in many forms of waste and destruction: people have lost their lives and livelihoods as businesses have been forced to shut down to help stem the spread of the virus.
As the demand for milk from restaurants and institutions like universities has disappeared, dairy farms are being forced to dump their milk. So, why are there shortages of some dairy products on shelves at grocery stores? And at the same time, why are food banks having trouble accessing enough food to feed hungry people who have recently lost their jobs?
It is a dairy processing issue. Dairy processing plants are turning milk away because the plants have either reached full milk storage capacity or aren’t designed to produce dairy products for sale in grocery stores. Many of these plants are set up to produce bulk packaging used for restaurants and institutions.
When we started seeing photos sent from our dairy friends and articles being published about farmers being forced to dump milk, we connected the dots and realized that we could help turn the situation around. Our plan is to take milk that farmers are dumping and make it into cheese that will be donated to food pantries all over New York State.
The money that we raise will be used to subsidize the surplus milk from farms who are dumping it, and to cover production costs of the cheese. Donations in excess of production costs will be donated to farmers who are dumping milk and to food banks.
The cheese we make will be donated to any Food Bank who will take it. We will reserve a small portion of the cheese to give to those who have donated as a thank you for your donation. Lively Run Dairy will not be profiting from this project.
Please join us in helping these farms and food banks!
Perks:
Donate $100-$149 : Receive 8oz of Chevre and 8oz of Lake Effect Cheddar
Donate $150+ : Receive 8oz Chevre, 8oz Lake Effect Cheddar, and our Cookbook: “Cooking with Cheese in the Finger Lakes”
***We guarantee perks until we reach our $20,000 goal. After that we will reassess based on inventory!
About Lively Run Dairy:
Lively Run Dairy is an award-winning artisan cheese producer based in the heart of the Finger Lakes of Upstate New York. We make both goat and cow cheese using milk from local New York State family farms who practice high quality animal care and operate with a sound animal welfare program.
Learn more about Lively Run Dairy or buy cheese at http://www.livelyrun.com
