Value Of Whey Increases, So Does The Price
US - The price of whey, a dairy by product used as fertilizer and as an ingredient in many other foods, has soared to record highs as a result from more global demand and less supplies. "If you are a dairy farmer, you are delighted. If you are a consumer it's going to hurt a little," said Bruce Jones, an economics professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
19 April 2007
1 minute read
Impact of dairy industry
In Wisconsin, the economic impact of dairy farming is more than twice as large as the citrus industry's impact in Florida. Dairy farming contributes roughly $20.6 billion a year to the state's economy and employs 160,000 people, according to industry figures.The prices that processors pay farmers for their milk are expected to rise significantly this year, following a down year in 2006. Whey, as part of a federal milk pricing formula, is contributing to the increases.
Whey for other purposes
Wisconsin cheese plants with the equipment to process whey currently get about 79 cents a pound for it. That's nearly three times higher than the five-year average price. But, unlike Alto Dairy, many plants don't have whey-processing equipment because they don't produce enough of the by product to justify the costs.Source: Reed Business
