Photo Galleries
Ice cream production and consumption decline
In 2005, per capita consumption of ice cream, sherbet and frozen yogurt was 25.2 pounds per person. In 2014, Americans ate just 22.8 pounds per person. Ice cream production trends are similar: a decrease of 87.8 million gallons from 2005 to 2014.
Ramar Foods, Pittsburg, Calif.
Ramar Foods of Pittsburg, Calif., is a processor of frozen foods sold in ethnic grocery stores in Asian communities in the United States. It operates a “meat” plant and a dairy plant.
Photos by Vito Palmisano for Dairy Foods.
This photo gallery contains additional, unpublished photos of dairy processing facilities featured in Dairy Foods magazine. To view more Behind the Scenes galleries go to our archives page!
5 facts about milk
Consumers are turning away from fat-free milk to versions with higher fat content. Still, Americans are drinking less than they ever have. The cost of putting milk in bottles has dropped, but equipment prices are rising.
A quick look at the producing side of dairy
More than 9 million dairy cows produce milk for the dairy processing industry. The average cow produces 22,000 pounds per year, with an average fat content of 3.77%.
Fair Oaks Farms shares dairy farming practices with the public
Fair Oaks Farms is operated by members of the Select Milk Producers dairy cooperative. Through tours and interactive exhibits, the farm educates visitors about farming practices. The farm “campus” includes The Dairy Adventure, The Pig Adventure and The Crop Adventure.
Photos by Vito Palmisano
When dairy plants are busy
There is a seasonality to the production of dairy foods and beverages. Ice cream makers are busy in the summer and butter churners get to it in the spring. These tables show production (in pounds or gallons) for the latest 12 months.
Mozzarella is America's cheese
Of the 33+ pounds of cheese we eat in a year, 10.8 pounds are Mozzarella and 9.6 pounds are Cheddar.
Pint-sized dairy prices range from $1.59 to $4.99
Whether it's a pound, a pint or two cups, all are equal to 16 ounces. Last month we went on a store check and compared prices of a variety of dairy foods and beverages.
Nuestro Queso, Kent, Ill.
The owners of Nuestro Queso bought a building in Kent that had been used for cheesemaking since the 1940s. It was empty when they took possession of it, so the owners had to outfit it with cheesemaking equipment, including pasteurizers, vats, tables, forms, tunnels, shredders and packaging machinery. This year the company (owned by a group of investors) completed a warehouse addition; the space can be converted to a production area as the company grows.
This photo gallery contains additional, unpublished photos of dairy processing facilities featured in Dairy Foods magazine. To view more Behind the Scenes galleries go to our archives page!