Randy Chandler
Government cheese is processed cheese that was provided to welfare beneficiaries, Food Stamp recipients, and the elderly receiving Social Security in the United States. It was also distributed to food banks and churches and used in military kitchens during World War II. The cheese was bought and stockpiled by the government's Commodity Credit Corporation and distributed monthly in 5-pound blocks with generic product labeling and packaging. The program was pulled in the 1990s, but as of 2022, eligible seniors over the age of 60 are provided with a 32-ounce block of processed cheese food each month.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| What is government cheese? | Processed cheese provided to welfare beneficiaries, Food Stamp recipients, and the elderly receiving Social Security in the United States, as well as to food banks and churches. |
| When was it distributed? | From World War II to the early 1980s. Public distribution began in 1981 under Ronald Reagan and the Temporary Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP). |
| Where was it distributed? | Food banks, community centers, schools, and military kitchens. |
| Who received it? | Welfare beneficiaries, Food Stamp recipients, the elderly receiving Social Security, and people at food banks and churches. |
| What type of cheese was it? | A highly salted cheddar, although some claim it was made from an amalgam of random processed cheeses. |
| Why was it distributed? | To remove waste and use all possible resources. It was also a byproduct of maintaining an artificially high price of milk through dairy industry subsidies, which produced a surplus. |
| Where was the surplus cheese stored? | Over 150 warehouses across 35 states, including "Missouri cheese caves", underground warehouses for storing and ageing cheese. |
| How much cheese was distributed? | 30 million pounds of cheese in 5-pound blocks. |
| Is it still distributed? | It doesn't seem so. |
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What You'll Learn
- Government cheese was distributed to welfare beneficiaries, Food Stamp recipients, and the elderly
- It was highly salted cheddar, made from Colby, cheddar curd, or granular cheese
- The cheese was stored in Missouri cheese caves, in underground warehouses
- The government bought and stockpiled cheese to support the dairy industry
- The cheese was distributed through the Temporary Emergency Food Assistance Program
Government cheese was distributed to welfare beneficiaries, Food Stamp recipients, and the elderly
The cheese was a byproduct of the US federal government's efforts to maintain an artificially high price of milk through dairy industry subsidies, which produced a surplus that was converted into cheese, butter, and powdered milk. This surplus was stored in over 150 warehouses across 35 states, creating a strategic Federal food reserve. The cheese was also distributed to food banks and churches, and used in military kitchens during World War II and in schools since the 1950s.
The distribution of government cheese began in 1981, under the Temporary Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) of the Food and Nutrition Service. It was given away for free to people at food banks, community centers, and other similar locations. Government cheese became a well-known part of American culture, referenced in songs by Kendrick Lamar and Jay-Z, and even cooked with by Snoop Dogg on a TV show.
The program was eventually discontinued in favour of other initiatives like TANF and SNAP, and as of 2022, the USDA Food Nutrition Service Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) provides eligible seniors over 60 with a 32-ounce block of processed cheese food each month.
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It was highly salted cheddar, made from Colby, cheddar curd, or granular cheese
Government cheese was highly salted cheddar, made from Colby, cheddar curd, or granular cheese. It was a highly processed cheese product, with a long shelf life, owing to its high salt content. The cheese was produced from leftover bits of Colby, cheddar curd, or granular cheese, mixed with emulsifiers to give it a blocky shape.
The cheese was provided to welfare beneficiaries, Food Stamp recipients, and the elderly receiving Social Security in the United States, as well as to food banks and churches. It was also used in military kitchens during World War II and in schools from the 1950s to the 1980s.
The US government bought and stockpiled cheese to support and prop up the dairy industry, which in turn created a surplus. This surplus was then converted into cheese, butter, and powdered milk. The excess was stored in over 150 warehouses across 35 states, creating a strategic Federal food reserve.
The cheese was provided monthly, in unsliced block form, with generic product labelling and packaging. It was highly salted and processed, and its taste and texture were regarded with disdain by some.
Government cheese was an important topic for the press in the 1980s, as the media learned about the milk products being stockpiled while millions of Americans faced food insecurity. The cheese was also reportedly of higher quality than its commercial counterparts, owing to its high curd content.
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The cheese was stored in Missouri cheese caves, in underground warehouses
The US government has been storing cheese in Missouri cheese caves, in underground warehouses, for decades. The cheese was stored hundreds of feet below ground in converted limestone mines, kept at a temperature of around 36°F to preserve the goods. The caves are located outside Springfield, Missouri, and were used to store the cheese due to a surplus of dairy products. The government had been buying milk from farmers to keep them afloat, and turned the excess milk into cheese, which has a longer shelf life.
The cheese caves are part of a national network of facilities used to store cheese, with over 150 warehouses across 35 states. The cheese was distributed to welfare beneficiaries, Food Stamp recipients, and the elderly receiving Social Security, as well as to food banks and churches. It was also used in military kitchens during World War II and in schools since the 1950s.
The government's cheese stockpile became a topic of interest in the 1980s, when it was revealed that there was enough cheese for every person in the US. The cheese was distributed in 5-pound blocks, and the program was known as the Temporary Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP). Despite these efforts, the cheese stockpiles continued to grow, and in the 1990s, the National Dairy Promotion and Research Board created Dairy Management Inc. to help empty the caves.
Today, the Missouri cheese caves are still used for cold storage, but not exclusively for dairy products. The US government continues to purchase dairy products for donation to hunger-relief organizations, but these are stored in warehouses rather than caves.
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The government bought and stockpiled cheese to support the dairy industry
In the 1970s, the United States faced a national dairy shortage, with dairy prices shooting up by 30%. In 1977, President Jimmy Carter decided to pour money into the dairy industry, providing $2 billion to the industry over four years. This intervention caused dairy prices to fall drastically, and farmers, now incentivized to produce as much milk as possible, began overproducing.
The government purchased the excess milk and began to process it into cheese, butter, and dehydrated milk powder. As a result, government stockpiles of cheese quickly ballooned. By the early 1980s, the government owned over 500 million pounds of cheese, with some sources stating the number to be over 560 million pounds.
The cheese was bought and stored by the government's Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) and distributed under the Temporary Emergency Food Assistance Program of the Food and Nutrition Service. The cheese was provided monthly in unsliced block form to welfare beneficiaries, Food Stamp recipients, and the elderly receiving Social Security. It was also distributed to food banks, churches, and schools.
The government's purchase of cheese was justified as a way to keep farmers and cheese companies afloat and to provide food to those in need. Additionally, the cheese was seen as a strategic Federal food reserve available for unexpected surges in demand, such as disaster relief, and potential crises during the Cold War.
The government's involvement in the cheese business ended in the 1990s when dairy prices stabilized. However, the government continued to provide subsidies to the dairy industry, and as of 2022, eligible seniors over the age of 60 were still receiving blocks of processed cheese through the USDA Food Nutrition Service Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP).
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The cheese was distributed through the Temporary Emergency Food Assistance Program
Government cheese was distributed through the Temporary Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) of the Food and Nutrition Service. The program was enacted by President Ronald Reagan in 1981, with the first shipments of government cheese going out in 1982. The cheese was provided to welfare beneficiaries, Food Stamp recipients, and the elderly receiving Social Security, with no impact on food stamp eligibility or use. It was also distributed to food banks and churches. California was the first state to receive surplus inventory, with a 3,000,000 lb (1,400 t) lot.
The cheese was bought and stored by the government's Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC). It was provided monthly in unsliced block form, with generic product labeling and packaging. The cheese was often from food surpluses stockpiled by the government as part of milk price supports. The government purchased dairy products like cheese to keep commercial companies afloat and prevent waste. The cheese was processed using leftover bits of Colby, cheddar, cheese curd, or granular cheese mixed with emulsifiers to give it a blocky shape. It was also highly salted to act as a preservative.
The distribution of government cheese became an important topic for the press in the 1980s, as they learned about the milk products being stored across the nation while millions of Americans felt food insecurity. Government cheese became a symbol of class and nostalgia in American culture, referenced in songs by Kendrick Lamar, Jay-Z, and Snoop Dogg.
Government cheese subsidies were removed in the 1990s when the dairy market stabilized. However, as of 2022, eligible seniors over the age of 60 are still provided with one 32-ounce (910 g) block of processed cheese food each month as part of the USDA Food Nutrition Service Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP).
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Frequently asked questions
Government cheese is processed cheese provided to welfare beneficiaries, Food Stamp recipients, and the elderly receiving Social Security.
Government cheese was distributed through the Temporary Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) at food banks, community centers, etc. However, it is unclear if the program is still active.
Government cheese was made from an amalgam of random processed cheese varieties, including Colby, cheddar, cheese curd, and granular cheese.
Government cheese is said to have tasted like highly salted cheddar.
The US government intervenes in the dairy market to stabilize milk prices and support farmers and cheese companies. The government also uses cheese distribution to tackle food insecurity and provide disaster relief.
