In North Carolina, milk is regulated to the point that local dairy farmers are not interested in selling it locally. They must test it and have it licensed by state and federal authorities to sell to dairy pools, but they must jump through other hoops to take it to a farmer’s market. That is why Spring Ridge Creamery is the only WNC dairy that sells its own milk. The number of dairy farmers in “the region” dropped 70% between 1985 and 2007. Most of the remainder aren’t expected to stick around long. Those wanting to buy local milk, reportedly, can pick it up on the black market.
by Leslee Kulba
Wild West blogger