Sassy Cow Creamery, located in Columbus, Wisconsin is keeping a refrigerator outside of their store fully stocked with milk and other dairy products. The creamery is owned by brothers James and Robert Baerwolf. Stocks inside the "Kindness Cooler" are free for anyone to get, as an effort to help others in this trying time.
James Baerwolf told CNN reporters that the idea came from his three daughters after thinking of possible ways of how to help the community while being stuck at home. The family put out the Kindness Cooler at the end of March when cases of the coronavirus started rising.
The creamery was said to be giving away more than 400 gallons of milk per day, due to soaring demands.
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Why Dump, Not Donate?
Dairy farmers around the United States are throwing out thousands of gallons of milk every day due to a tremendous decrease in demand from schools, restaurants, and other foodservice providers. Government regulations make it illegal for these farmers to donate or sell raw milk before it is pasteurized.
Jennifer Huson of the Dairy Farmers of America said they were seeing a demand decrease of about twelve to 15 percent across the entire United States. She added that those demand changes are resulting in a lot of concern.
Contrary to other agricultural commodities, milk is perishable and cannot be stored for a later date when the market demands it and the price rises.
Anja Raudabaugh, the CEO of Western United Dairies said while the dairy industry is doing everything it can to donate milk to food pantries, it is particularly hard to convince the companies that to it would be a good use of resource to donate products such as pasteurized milk directly to food banks.
Arlin Van Groningen, a third-generation dairy farmer, added that donating milk to food banks is a "logistical nightmare," because some things complicate the process to allow dairy farmers to donate their milk to food pantries. For instance, there are not enough refrigerated trucks to deliver the milk, and food pantries can't receive large quantities of the product due to a lack of refrigerators and shelf space.
"Feeding People is our Whole Life"
Contrary to local farmers' dilemma, Sassy Cow Creamery pasteurizes its milk on-site.
James Baerwolf explained how they own a small dairy plant on their farm which allowed them to sell their products for the last 12 years.
As farmers, the Baerwolf family has dealt with situations outside of their control, including destructive weather and bad crop seasons. The creamery owners explain how they have always found a way to make due while still helping out their community.
Baerwolf told reporters that for them, farming wasn't simply a job, and it was something they took to heart. He expressed how growing food and feeding people was their whole life.
Although the family wishes they could do more, for now, they only wish to make sure their community doesn't go without milk.