The sale of fancier cheese is emerging as a way for farmers and artisanal cheesemakers to help offset dipping milk prices in Pennsylvania's languishing dairy industry, reports The State. Additionally, it's helping transform an increasingly invaluable commodity into one which restaurants and consumers will pay a premium for. Sue Miller, owner and operator of the Chester Springs-based Birchrun Hills Farm, notes dwindling cow-milk drinkers are hurting the industry as an oversupply of milk continues.
Although exports are increasing, it's been difficult to help farmers receive fair compensation. That's where cheese comes in. "We're talking about making cheeses that are highly specialized, very unique and hard to find on the market," says Miller. Stefanie Angstadt, an artisanal cheesemaker who owns and operates Oley, Pa.-based Valley Milkhouse, also notes U.S.-made cheese, and particularly Pennsylvania-made cheese, is currently getting a lot of attention, even internationally, according to the report. Full Story
Related: Tariffs Could Cause Dairy, Meat Drop; Most Americans Identify as 'Foodie'.
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