Why are there cheese caves?

The USDA has a large presence in Kansas City, Missouri, and when it found itself with millions of pounds of surplus dairy and needed a safe, climate-controlled place to put it all, it started to search locally. A set of caves along Interstate 435 offered a convenient cold-storage option.

Why does the US have a cheese stockpile?

Well, it started in the 1970s, during former President Jimmy Carter's era and his promise of giving farmers a break. He wanted to raise the price of milk, but the government couldn't just buy milk and store it, so it started buying as much cheese as people wanted to sell, according to Pacific Standard Magazine.

Does the US still have cheese caves?

Hundreds of feet below the ground in Missouri, there are hundreds of thousands of pounds of American cheese. Deep in converted limestone mines, caves kept perfectly at 36 degrees Fahrenheit store stockpiles of government-owned cheese comprising the country's 1.4 billion pounds of surplus cheese.

Why is there cheese under Springfield MO?

According to Kraft and DFA's sources, the companies utilize Springfield Underground as a space to age cheese and temporarily store dry products. Utilizing cold storage, similar to Springfield Underground, is popular with dairy companies across the country.

Does the government still have cheese?

During the 1980s, the U.S. government managed to offload its cheese stash. Nevertheless, dairy surpluses still very much exist. Demand for dairy in the U.S. has plummeted 42 percent since 1975, but that hasn't stopped American farmers from producing more and more of it.

The Cheese Caves of the United States

Are the cheese caves guarded?

Yes, the Government Really Does Stash Billions of Pounds of Cheese in Missouri Caves. The USDA has kept cheese and other dairy products in cold-storage caves for decades.

Can you visit cheese caves?

There are two caves to visit, Societe and Papillon. Societe costs 3 euro each and Papillon is free.

Why does wahlburgers use government cheese?

Today at Wahlburgers, we use a premium American cheese to top our burgers, but give a wink and a nod to where we came from. Growing up in a house with 9 kids, things were tight. Back then, blocks of cheese, known as "government cheese", were given out to folks who needed a hand up. And we were so thankful.

Can you live off cheese?

When it comes to cheese, people often say they love it so much they can't live without it — but worry that it could cause heart disease or unwanted weight gain. The truth is that cheese is what's known as a whole food.

Does the government have a stockpile of cheese?

Flash forward to 2019, when the government again found itself storing cheese, this time to the tune of 1.4 billion pounds. Amid trade disputes and declining dairy consumption nationally, the American government has been subsidizing and stockpiling America's surplus cheese.

Is there really cheese under Springfield Missouri?

400,000 square feet of Velveeta, buried deep within the earth. Deep under Springfield, Missouri, lies a cheese cave of industrial proportions, a 2-million-square-foot refrigerated warehouse called Springfield Underground.

What is the government doing with billions of pounds of cheese?

The program is meant to “purchase Mozzarella, Process and Natural American Cheddar Cheese for the National School Lunch Program and other Federal food nutrition assistance programs.” Though the announcement came in 2020, the actual cheese deliveries were intended for the entire year of 2021.

Why is Velveeta not cheese?

Originally Velveeta was made from real cheese. Today, it's mainly whey protein concentrate, milk protein concentrate, milk, fat, and preservatives. By the Food and Drug Administration's standards, that's not real cheese—which is why the FDA forced Kraft to change its label from "cheese spread" to "cheese product."

What does government cheese taste like?

If you've ever tasted what's known as “government cheese,” you won't soon forget it. Its flavor was described as somewhere between Velveeta and American cheese and smacked of humiliation or gratitude for the people who couldn't afford not to eat it. Its color, a pale orange, was eye-catching.

What 2 foods can you survive on?

Kelp, alaria and laver (kombu, wakame and nori in Japanese cuisine) are among the most common. Almost all kinds are edible. Seaweed is loaded with vitamins and minerals. Once dried it will keep of months, too.

What is the healthiest food on earth?

Does cheese make you fart?

Lactose is a sugar that's found in milk and most dairy products, including cheese and ice cream. People who don't produce enough of the enzyme lactase have difficulty digesting lactose, which is known as lactose intolerance. Increased gas is one symptom of lactose intolerance.

Why do they call it government cheese?

Farmers started making way too much milk, which was turned into way too much cheese. At least 30 million pounds of it was distributed through nutrition assistance programs, and suddenly a block of surplus dairy product became a neatly packaged symbol of economic status known as “government cheese.”

Why did Wahlburgers Coney Island close?

Amid last year's temporary closure, a New York Post report alleged that the first franchise group that operated the eatery was having financial troubles, which prompted it to fall behind on bills for the restaurant and prevented it from opening a second planned outpost in Times Square.

What was in government cheese?

Containing a mixture of colby and cheddar with curds and emulsifiers, the Kraft company's almost-cheese became enormously popular during the first half of the 20th century. It was cheap, shipped easily, and had a ridiculously long shelf life.

Does cheese grow in caves?

In Europe, cheese was traditionally aged and preserved in actual caves before the advent of refrigeration. (Several styles are still produced this way, most prominently Roquefort, which according to EU law must be aged in southern France's Roquefort-sur-Soulzon caves.)

What cheese is made in a cave?

The mold that gives Roquefort its distinctive character (Penicillium roqueforti) is found in the soil of the local caves. Traditionally, the cheesemakers extracted it by leaving bread in the caves for six to eight weeks until it was consumed by the mold.

Where do they age cheese?

Where to Age Cheese. It is important to have a consistent temperature and humidity in the location where cheese is aged. This space is often referred to as a cheese cave. A hygrometer can be used to measure the humidity, many digital hygrometers can even alert you if the humidity levels drop too low.

Why did the government stop giving out cheese?

It was distributed to low-income families through the Temporary Emergency Food Assistance Program. Government cheese was nominally removed in the 1990s when the dairy market stabilized.

Why do people age cheese in a cave?

High humidity helps to keep the right amount of moisture in the cheese, while cool, consistent temperatures allow the cheese to ripen slowly and evenly. Caves also allow the cheesemaker to treat the cheese rinds more easily with mold or bacteria to create bloomy and washed-rind varieties.