Dairy has become an inherent element of nutrition in our society. Why? How? Some of my friends think dairy is a gift from god and that cheese is the greatest invention of modern history. We see the moon as cheese and milk as pure and wholesome. For me dairy is something I took for granted. I drank my daily milk, ate cheese, craved ice cream and all with a distinct disconnection from the larger aspects involved with dairy. The objective of this web site is to think about a part of our culture and food system that we never ignore but rarely understand.

Methodology:

I started with very broad research involving the dairy industry. I read general books and web sites about dairy and as I learned more I searched for more specific sources. Most of my project is research from literature in many different fields. My literature cited includes sources in such varied topics as clinical nutrition, economic research and animal welfare. The information is from a wide range of sources, including government and dairy industry web sites, books, and peer reviewed journals. The publication dates range from 1939 to 2005. Some sources support dairy in our culture, others do not. Basically, I found a broad spectrum of information on dairy so that I could fully understand its place in society.

To make a local connection I spoke to the purchaser for The Pause, a student run facility that sells food. I got information about the amount of dairy sold and basic opinions. This allowed me to see dairy at a local level as well as from a non-academic business view.

The dairy industry is a complicated, far reaching part of America's culture. I have investigated four aspects: the social history, health related implications, dairy policy and dairy marketing. Many of these work together. The last section, The Pause, focuses on dairy at a local level. This web site was made for the Environmental Studies Senior Capstone at St. Olaf College.

art by K. Ahrens, photo by S. Roach