Kamil Perry
Government cheese is a term for pasteurized process American cheese, which is produced from a variety of cheeses, including Cheddar cheese, Colby cheese, cheese curd, or granular cheese. It was distributed by the US government to welfare beneficiaries, Food Stamp recipients, and the elderly receiving Social Security. While the program ended in the 1990s, some people are interested in purchasing government cheese for personal consumption. It is worth noting that the taste and quality of government cheese have been described as varying, with some considering it decent while others find it unappetizing.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Description | Pasteurized process American cheese |
| Ingredients | Cheddar cheese, Colby cheese, cheese curd, or granular cheese |
| Texture | Meltable |
| Nutritional Information | 1 ounce (28 g) or two slices per serving |
| Taste | Mild cheddar, Velveeta cheese, salty cheddar, or rancid cheddar |
| Colour | Pale orange or yellow |
| Weight | 5-pound blocks |
| Availability | Distributed to welfare beneficiaries, Food Stamp recipients, the elderly, food banks, churches, military kitchens, and schools |
| Storage | Warehouses in Missouri and 35 other states |
| Current Status | Discontinued |
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What You'll Learn
Government cheese was distributed to the poor, elderly, and needy
Government cheese, or "pasteurized process American cheese", is a type of cheese produced from a variety of cheeses, including cheddar cheese, Colby cheese, cheese curd, or granular cheese. It is made meltable using emulsifiers and blended. Government cheese was distributed to welfare beneficiaries, Food Stamp recipients, and the elderly receiving Social Security. It was also provided to food banks and churches.
The distribution of government cheese began during World War II and continued until the early 1980s. The cheese was stored in over 150 warehouses across 35 states and was bought and stored by the government's Commodity Credit Corporation. The program was created to maintain the price of dairy when dairy industry subsidies artificially increased the supply of milk, creating a surplus of milk that was then converted into cheese, butter, or powdered milk.
The direct distribution of dairy products, including government cheese, began in 1982 under the Temporary Emergency Food Assistance Program of the Food and Nutrition Service. The cheese was provided monthly in unsliced block form, with generic product labeling and packaging. It was often made from food surpluses stockpiled by the government as part of milk price support initiatives.
As of 2022, eligible seniors over the age of 60 continue to receive a block of processed cheese food each month under the USDA Food Nutrition Service Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP). However, the program no longer purchases and stockpiles cheese, and the cheese provided is supplied by participating dairies rather than being produced from government-purchased surplus milk.
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It was stored in Missouri cheese caves
Missouri is known as "the Cave State" due to the abundant and porous limestone that forms more than 7,000 caves. In the 1980s, the state's underground limestone mines were used to store cheese surpluses, with some reports claiming there was enough cheese to wrap around the U.S. Capitol. The caves were ideal for storing cheese because they were naturally climate-controlled at around 60 degrees Fahrenheit, reducing the energy needed for cooling.
The cheese stored in these caves was part of the US government's efforts to support the dairy industry. In 1977, President Jimmy Carter infused the industry with roughly $2 billion to address a dairy shortage. This led to a ramp-up in milk production, resulting in a surplus that was converted into cheese due to its longer shelf life. The government bought and stored this cheese, along with butter and dehydrated milk powder, in over 150 warehouses across 35 states.
The Missouri cheese caves became a part of urban legend, with stories of vast amounts of cheese hidden underground. While the exact amount of cheese stored in the caves is unknown, estimates range from hundreds of millions to 1.4 billion pounds. The caves were also used for storing other dairy products, such as 50-pound sacks of dry milk and barrels of cheese weighing 500 pounds.
Today, the Missouri cheese caves still exist, but they are primarily used for commercial cold storage, with companies like Kraft Heinz leasing the underground spaces for storing and ageing cheese. The US government still buys cheese, mainly to strengthen school lunch programs and other food assistance initiatives, but it no longer hoards large quantities as it did in the past.
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The cheese was stockpiled to maintain dairy prices
Government cheese was created to maintain dairy prices when dairy industry subsidies artificially increased milk supply, creating a surplus of milk that was then converted into cheese, butter, or powdered milk. The US government poured money into the dairy industry to alleviate a national shortage of dairy products in the 1970s, which led to overproduction. This resulted in the stockpiling of cheese, butter, and dehydrated milk powder in over 150 warehouses across 35 states. The cheese was bought and stored by the government's Commodity Credit Corporation.
The government purchased milk that dairy farmers couldn't sell and began processing it into cheese and other dairy products. This was done to support the dairy industry and maintain dairy prices. The stockpiled cheese was then distributed to the needy, the elderly, and low-income individuals and organizations that served them. The cheese was provided monthly in unsliced block form with generic product labelling and packaging.
The US government repeatedly assured the dairy industry that the distribution of government cheese did not adversely affect commercially available cheeses. They argued that the recipients of the free cheese were unlikely to purchase cheese or other dairy products otherwise. The government also sold cheese at discounted prices or gave it away to foreign countries.
The stockpiling of cheese by the government continued into the 1980s and 1990s, with the cheese being stored in underground warehouses in and around Missouri, attracting attention and becoming an internet meme. In 2019, the US government again found itself storing cheese, this time with a surplus of 1.4 billion pounds. This was due to declining dairy consumption and trade disputes, with the government once again subsidizing and stockpiling the surplus cheese.
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It was provided to food banks and churches
Government cheese is pasteurized processed cheese that was provided to food banks and churches, as well as welfare beneficiaries, Food Stamp recipients, and the elderly receiving Social Security in the United States. It was also used in military kitchens during World War II and has been used in schools since the 1950s.
The cheese was produced from a variety of cheeses, including Cheddar, Colby, cheese curd, or granular cheese, and was made meltable using emulsifiers and blending. It was provided in monthly distributions, in unsliced block form, with generic product labelling and packaging.
The cheese was often stockpiled by the government as part of milk price support initiatives. The government purchased surplus milk from dairy farmers, which was then converted into cheese, butter, or powdered milk to maintain the price of dairy. This surplus of dairy products was stored in over 150 warehouses across 35 states.
Food banks and churches played a crucial role in distributing this government cheese to those in need. The cheese was provided to these organizations, which then distributed it to the elderly, low-income individuals, and families facing financial difficulties. This was especially prominent during the 1980s recession, when President Reagan's administration cut the budget for the federal food stamp program, leading to increased food insecurity for millions of Americans.
While the specific details may vary, the core aspect of providing government pasteurized cheddar cheese to food banks and churches remains consistent, ensuring that this cheese reaches those who need it most.
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The government bought the cheese from dairy farmers
The US government has a history of buying cheese from dairy farmers. This practice began in 1949 when the Agricultural Act gave the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) the authority to purchase dairy products like cheese from farmers. The CCC is a government-owned corporation dedicated to stabilizing farm incomes.
The government bought cheese from dairy farmers to maintain the price of dairy. Dairy industry subsidies had artificially increased the supply of milk, creating a surplus of milk that was then converted into cheese, butter, or powdered milk. The cheese was bought and stored by the CCC. The government's stockpiling of cheese was an attempt to support and prop up the dairy industry.
The cheese was produced from a variety of cheeses, including cheddar cheese, Colby cheese, cheese curd, or granular cheese. It was processed using emulsifiers to give it a blocky shape. This resulted in a product with a taste and smell that has been described as somewhere between very low-grade American cheese, a generic Velveeta knockoff, and a somewhat rancid cheddar.
The stockpiles of cheese grew to over 500 million pounds, stored in hundreds of warehouses across 35 states. The government had no plan for how to distribute this cheese. Eventually, in 1981, President Reagan created the Temporary Emergency Food Assistance Program, which began distributing the cheese to the elderly, low-income people, and organizations that served them.
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Frequently asked questions
Government cheese is "pasteurized processed American cheese", made from a variety of cheeses, including cheddar, Colby, curd, or granular cheese. It is meltable and made using emulsifiers and blending. It 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.
Government cheese was distributed to the elderly, low-income people, and organizations serving them under the Temporary Emergency Food Assistance Program. It was also provided to food banks and churches. While it seems that the distribution of government cheese has been discontinued, some suggest that Land O'Lakes cheese melt resembles government cheese.
The taste of government cheese has been described as ranging from mild cheddar to Velveeta cheese, with some even calling it "rancid". It has also been described as "highly salted".
