Dairy 101

About Food & Water Watch

Food & Water Watch is a nonprofit consumer organization that works to ensure clean water and safe food. We challengethe corporate control and abuse of our food and water resources by empowering people to take action and by transformingthe public consciousness about what we eat and drink. Food & Water Watch works with grassroots organizations aroundthe world to create an economically and environmentally viable future. Through research, public and policymaker educa-tion, media and lobbying, we advocate policies that guarantee safe, wholesome food produced in a humane and sustainablemanner, and public, rather than private, control of water resources including oceans, rivers and groundwater.

Food & Water Watch

1616 P St. NW, Suite 300 Washington, DC 20036tel: (202) 683-2500fax: (202) 683-2501info@fwwatch.org www.foodandwaterwatch.orgCopyright © October 2008 by Food & Water Watch. All rights reserved. This report can be viewed or downloaded at www.foodandwaterwatch.org.

Introduction............................................................................................................................................................1Industrial Milk Production: A Beast of a System.......................................................................................................................1Free Market or a Free Ride?.........................................................................................................................................................2Beyond the Farm Gate: Processing and Retail Consolidation Squeeze Dairy Farms & Consumers............................................3The Many Faces of Dean..............................................................................................................................................................3The Cost of a Carton: Consumers Pay Plenty, Farmers Get Little..................................................................................................3Blocking Out the Competition........................................................................................................................................4

Organic Milk: A Not-So-Safe Haven for Dairy Producers............................................................................................5Consumers Lose Out: Paying More and Getting Less..................................................................................................................6Going the Distance.........................................................................................................................................................6

Pumping Up Production.................................................................................................................................................6Taking Back Our Dairy Supply....................................................................................................................................................7Endnotes..........................................................................................................................................................8