US farmers dump leftover milk as output hits record levels

There is so much milk flowing out of US cows these days that some is ending up in dirt pits because dairies cannot find buyers.

Domestic output is set to be the highest ever for a fifth straight year. Farmers are still making money as prices tumble because of cheaper and more abundant feed for their herds. Supplies of raw milk are topping capacity at processing plants in parts of the US and compounding a global surplus even with demand improving.

Agri-Mark, a 1,200-dairy co-operative in New England that had $1.1bn (€990,000) of sales last year, started pouring skim milk last month into holes used for livestock manure. It was the first time in five decades, and farmers so far have unloaded 12 truckloads, or 272 metric tonnes. While having small amounts of milk spoil or go unsold is not unusual, Northeast dairies dumped 31% more this year through May than the same period of 2014, government data shows.