Kamil Perry
Government cheese, also known as pasteurized process American cheese, was a welfare program that provided cheese to low-income families in the United States during the 1980s and 1990s. The program was created to address the surplus of dairy products and support dairy farmers by purchasing and distributing cheese, butter, and powdered milk to those in need. This iconic cheese, with its pale orange colour and distinctive taste, was distributed in large blocks and became a staple for many American households, evoking mixed emotions of shame, gratitude, and nostalgia.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Government cheese |
| Other names | Welfare cheese, "govment" cheese |
| Description | A block of dairy product, typically in 5-pound stacks |
| Colour | Pale orange |
| Taste | Similar to mild cheddar, Velveeta, or American cheese |
| Texture | Smooth and uniform, sometimes hard and dry, sometimes soft and shiny |
| Ingredients | Natural cheese, emulsifiers, Colby and cheddar with curds |
| Nutritional value | High in protein |
| Producers | Dairy farmers, Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) |
| Distributor | The US federal government |
| Distribution period | 1980s and early 1990s |
| Recipients | Low-income families, elderly, food banks, churches, schools |
| Affected population | 75% of African-Americans, 51% of Latinos, 80% of Asian-Americans, 21% of Caucasians |
| Cultural significance | Featured in jokes, song lyrics, and rapper Kendrick Lamar's song "Money Trees" |
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What You'll Learn
- Government cheese was distributed to welfare beneficiaries, food stamp recipients, and the elderly
- The Reagan administration cut the budget for the federal food stamp program
- The cheese was stored in over 150 government warehouses across 35 states
- The cheese was made from a variety of cheeses, emulsifiers, and blended to be meltable
- Dairy farmers were paid by the government not to produce dairy for five years
Government cheese was distributed to welfare beneficiaries, food stamp recipients, and the elderly
The cheese was part of a surplus of dairy products that the government had purchased from farmers to maintain the price of dairy. Dairy farmers took advantage of government support, which led to an overproduction of milk. The government then processed the excess milk into cheese, butter, and dehydrated milk powder, which was stored in warehouses across 35 states.
In the early 1980s, the government distributed approximately 300 million pounds of this processed cheese, which had a distinctive pale orange color and a strong smell. It was provided to those in need through the Temporary Emergency Food Assistance Program, which was created by President Ronald Reagan in 1981 to address food insecurity in the country. Reagan's administration had previously cut the budget for the federal food stamp program, and the surplus of cheese was an opportunity to provide aid to those in need without incurring additional costs.
The cheese was also distributed to food banks, churches, and schools, and it became an iconic symbol of the time, forming fraught memories for those who had to rely on it for sustenance. While some recall the cheese fondly, others associate it with humiliation. The distribution of government cheese ended in the 1990s when the dairy market stabilized, and the government no longer needed to intervene in the dairy industry.
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The Reagan administration cut the budget for the federal food stamp program
The Reagan administration's decision to cut the budget for the federal food stamp program was part of a broader effort to reduce government spending and curb the growth of entitlement programs. During his campaign, President Ronald Reagan criticized "welfare queens" and pledged to reduce the federal food stamp program, which he saw as a "generalized income-transfer program" unrelated to nutritional needs.
On December 22, 1981, Reagan signed the Agriculture and Food Act of 1981, which authorized the release of 560 million pounds of cheese stockpiled by the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC). This act was a response to the growing surplus of dairy products, including cheese, butter, and dehydrated milk powder, which the government had been purchasing from dairy farmers to stabilize farm incomes and maintain dairy prices.
The decision to cut the budget for the federal food stamp program was met with criticism, as there were still hungry Americans suffering from the recession. In response to this criticism, Reagan created the Temporary Emergency Food Assistance Program, which distributed the stockpiled cheese to the elderly, low-income individuals, and organizations serving them. This program ensured that those in need received assistance while also addressing the issue of surplus cheese stockpiles.
The federal food stamp program, now known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), continues to face proposed cuts by Republican lawmakers. These cuts, totaling $230 billion or more, would significantly impact the program's ability to provide assistance to low-income households, worsening food insecurity and poverty. Opponents of these cuts argue that SNAP is highly effective at reducing food insecurity and improving health outcomes, and that cutting benefits or restricting eligibility would only exacerbate the challenges faced by vulnerable communities.
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The cheese was stored in over 150 government warehouses across 35 states
The story of government cheese in the US began in 1949, when the Agricultural Act of 1949 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 cheese program was initially created to maintain the price of dairy when dairy industry subsidies artificially increased the supply of milk, creating a surplus that was then converted into cheese, butter, or powdered milk.
The warehouses full of government cheese became a topic of interest for the press in the 1980s, as they highlighted the contrast between the surplus of milk products being stored and the millions of Americans facing food insecurity. The cheese was eventually distributed to welfare beneficiaries, Food Stamp recipients, and the elderly receiving Social Security, at no cost to them. The distribution of the cheese was done through the Temporary Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP), which aimed to help low-income families by providing them with a nutritious food source while also reducing the surplus dairy products.
The cheese was often from food surpluses stockpiled by the government and had a distinct taste and texture. It was typically packaged in large blocks, weighing five pounds or more, and had a long shelf life. For many, the cheese is a symbol of a unique period in American history and evokes a mix of emotions, from shame to reverence, as it provided critical sustenance during difficult times.
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The cheese was made from a variety of cheeses, emulsifiers, and blended to be meltable
The welfare cheese, also known as government cheese, 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 was used in military kitchens during World War II. The cheese was made from stockpiled food surpluses purchased by the government to maintain the price of dairy when dairy industry subsidies artificially increased milk supply, creating a surplus of milk. This surplus milk was then converted into cheese, butter, or powdered milk.
Government cheese was made from a variety of cheeses, including cheddar, colby, cheese curd, or granular cheese, and was made meltable using emulsifiers and blending. Emulsifying agents are added to cheese to prevent the separation of the water-soluble milk-solid part of the cheese from the fat when melted. The most common emulsifying salts used in cheese are sodium citrate and sodium hexametaphosphate. These emulsifiers are also known as sequestering agents, which prevent calcium from holding the casein network together, allowing the cheese to melt without becoming lumpy.
Processed cheese, such as government cheese, is often sold in blocks or packs of individual slices, and has a longer shelf life due to the use of heat-based sterilization methods. In the United States, processed cheese refers to products with the highest cheese content, made from cheese, up to 5% milk fat, and other allowed additives. While government cheese was nominally removed in the 1990s when dairy prices stabilized, cheese continues to be purchased by the government to aid food banks and reduce cheese surpluses.
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Dairy farmers were paid by the government not to produce dairy for five years
The US government has a long history of intervening in the dairy industry, dating back to the 1930s when Congress passed the first Farm Bill, which aimed to stabilize dairy prices by paying farmers to reduce output. This trend of government intervention continued for decades, with the government purchasing surplus dairy products to stabilize the market and prevent waste.
During the 1970s and 1980s, the US dairy industry experienced significant volatility, with milk production exceeding demand and creating large surpluses. The Dairy Production Stabilization Act of 1983 and the Dairy Price Support Program aimed to address this issue by purchasing surplus butter, cheese, and non-fat dry milk at specified prices.
However, the surplus issue persisted, and in 1985, the Dairy Termination Program was introduced as part of the Farm Bill. This program offered financial incentives to dairy farmers, encouraging them to reduce milk production or even exit the industry for five years. This was done in an attempt to curb the growing surplus of milk and dairy products, which was driving up costs for the government's dairy price support program.
The total milk diversion payments under this program were significant, totaling $955 million, and it is estimated that milk production was reduced by 3.74 to 4.11 billion pounds in 1984. While the program aimed to reduce the surplus and stabilize dairy prices, it also had the effect of reducing the income of dairy farmers, who were already struggling with economic difficulties and unsustainable profit margins.
The US government's involvement in the dairy industry has continued into recent years, with the USDA purchasing large quantities of cheese to reduce surpluses and stabilize prices. While government intervention has helped stabilize the industry, it has also been criticized as unsustainable and detrimental to the long-term viability of dairy farming.
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Frequently asked questions
The US federal government.
The US federal government made welfare cheese to reduce surplus dairy products and aid low-income families.
The US federal government made welfare cheese from the 1980s to the early 1990s.
