The U.S. has too much cheese — 1.4 billion pounds of it to be exact. To get some of that cheese off the market, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has spent $47.1 million buying up roughly 22 million pounds of it since 2016, according to a USDA spokesperson.
But this isn’t the first time the government has bought tons of American cheese. In the 1970s, the USDA stepped in to help control volatile milk prices, and it became very profitable to produce milk. So, farmers started producing way too much of it, which was then turned into way too much cheese.
In 1981, then-President Ronald Reagan declared 30 million pounds of American cheese would be distributed to food pantries, school lunch programs and other welfare programs. By 1984, the U.S. was storing about 5 pounds of cheese for every American.
“People talk about food assistance programs as if they were created to help poor people out,” said Andrew Novakovic, professor of agricultural economics at Cornell University. “Yes that’s true, but almost all of the major food assistance programs were ideas that came from agriculture because we had too much of something.”
Suddenly a block of surplus dairy product became a neatly packaged symbol of economic status known as “government cheese.” It’s been referenced in “SNL” sketches and songs by artists including DMX, Kendrick Lamar, The Roots and Jay Z.
“It would come in these big brick-type blocks and it’s like Day-Glo orange,” said Bobbi Dempsey, writer of The Tyranny and the Comfort of Government Cheese. “It brings back bittersweet feelings. It was a staple of childhood, so there’s a nostalgia about that. But at the same time it’s yet another aspect of life as a poor person that you had no control over.”
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How Government Cheese Became Welfare For Farmers
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I would have payed people 2 dollars per block of gov cheese, have trucks outside of communities, and then just sliced it, packaged it, and sold the packs for $6 with half a quarter block worth…. Kraft beat me to it, but I didn't lose the idea either.
Government fails in everything it does
My parents were divorced. Mom got government cheese from the food bank. For years, there was always a block in the freezer. It was fine – I just got sick of it over time.
In their tongue they call him dovakiin
That cheese was the bomb. I wish I could buy some.
American government: “WATCH OUT FOR COMMUNISTS!!!”
Also American government: G O V E R N M E N T c h e e s e
I don’t think pumping kids diets with complete sodium is a good idea
Being a formal lactose intolerant patient, I couldn’t emphasis it enough for the importance of cheese in one’s health ❤❤❤!!!
@0:51 the cheese storage wasn't in Kansas City, almost all the storage was about 140 miles south east in Sprinfield in converted limestone quarry mines. Sadly the subsidization of the dairy industry went on way longer that it should have, but politicians love that lobbyist money.
It wasn't just government cheese they had powdered milk, Canned beef (it had an occasional artery visible in it) they had a bunch of other things available. I haven't seen any of it in decades.
Don’t worry everyone will go broke and get to try. 😂
More cheese is schools! 😂😂😂
Ronnie is so proud.
He laundered so much money through that bill.
And.
Martha doesn’t know where to get Gob’ment cheese. 😂😂😂
I jumping from video to video on Gob’ment cheese.
For the too the manyths time.
I’ve had to have seen this at least 6 times.
well sounds like its ultra processed if its still around. ha
The government should subsidize cannabis, and give each citizen free weed
My grandmother used get government cheese every month
CHEESE ,, I love CHEESE 😊😮
I remember going to Grandma's church, they handed them out like tic tacs. Government cheese was the bomb, I wish I could still get some.
Regardless, people didn’t go hungry. You have to salute President Reagan for at least giving it to the AMERICANS versus foreign countries like Joe Biden would today.
Cheap or not this cheese does make very good burgers and grilled cheese and it is a part of nostalgia I do believe if you wanted to you could manipulate it to make it even more healthy but the good thing about this cheese that does not go Rancid
It was sooo good! I miss it !
I loved it growing up . I wish our government would go back to giving out these through programs. It would help all of us. Now look where were at . All money's goung out that belongs to us to war and crooked evil……
Government cheese would be considered fresh artisan cheddar compared to the plastic cheese today.
Wish the usda invested in vegetables instead of dairy
That cheese was hard as a rock but the most delicious cheese I ever had. I think it was because it was so old … aged like a fine wine.
Still people are homeless and hungry, so re distribute the cheese.
Ask an inmate about milk, then ask them about cheesecake.
I miss it
I grew up poor and that cheese was life😂. My parents and others made all recipes for it. The ironic thing back than the texture and taste to me was better than Today's cheese with ingredients I can't pronounce 2day SMH🙄
My Dad use to make us these delicious cheese sandwiches all the time in the 80s. Now I realized, we really needed that cheese!
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