Got milk?
In an age of vitamin waters and energy drinks, the decadeslong
decline in U.S. milk consumption has accelerated, worrying dairy
farmers, milk processors and grocery chains.
The industry "is coming to recognize this as a crisis," says Tom
Gallagher, CEO of Dairy Management Inc., a farmer-funded trade group
that promotes milk products. "We cannot simply assume that we will
always have a market."
Per-capita U.S. milk consumption, which peaked around World War II,
has fallen almost 30% since 1975, even as sales of yogurt, cheese and
other dairy products have risen, according to U.S. Department of
Agriculture statistics. The reasons include the rise in popularity of
bottled waters and the concern of some consumers that milk is high in
calories.
Another factor, according to the USDA, is that children, who tend to
be heavy milk drinkers, account for a smaller share of the U.S.
population than they once did.
Further details at the
Wall Street Journal.
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