Swiss Dairy Farmers Face Milk Surplus Crisis, Propose Slaughtering 25,000 Cows
Swiss dairy farmers face a milk surplus crisis, with prices under significant pressure due to high US tariffs and increased production. The Swiss Federal Office for Agriculture (FOAG) has stepped in, providing 16 million Swiss francs to support exports of butter, cream, chocolate, and other processed dairy foods. However, the dairy industry organization suggests a more drastic measure to balance the surplus.
The dairy industry organization proposes slaughtering 25,000 cows, around 30% of the annual slaughter rate, to tackle the milk surplus. This comes as Swiss farmers are advised to cull more dairy cows to ease the surplus. The current surplus stands at 5%, primarily due to high milk production and US import tariffs. These tariffs have led to a 55% drop in Swiss cheese exports to the USA since August.
In early September 2021, the FOAG released up to 16 million francs from an emergency fund to support the sale of butter, cream, chocolate, and other processed dairy products. This move aims to reduce pressure on milk prices in Switzerland.
The dairy industry organization's proposal to slaughter 25,000 cows has been made to balance the milk surplus. Meanwhile, the FOAG's emergency fund supports exports of processed dairy products. The impact of US tariffs on Swiss cheese exports has been significant, contributing to the current milk surplus crisis.
