Farm Facts: Milk and Dairy

They Say Milk Is Local – But How Do I Know?

Have you ever wondered where your milk comes from? You’re in luck! Visit whereismymilkfrom.com and follow the instructions to locate the code on your milk container (or on any other dairy product in your fridge). Most codes are a series of two numbers, followed by a dash, then followed by one to five more numbers (example: 12-34567). The numbers before the dash indicate the plant where your milk or dairy product was processed and packaged. The numbers after the dash indicate what dairy farm the milk came from.

Label or Not, All Milk is Free of Antibiotics

Can you recall the last time you purchased cow’s milk? You may have made your purchase decision based on brand, fat percentage, or sell-by date. You also may have noticed certain stamps or labels used by companies that claim their product is “antibiotic-free.” Did this affect your purchase decision? If so, you are not alone!

You can rest assured that all milk is free of antibiotics. Any time a cow is given antibiotics to treat an illness, she is separated from the herd during milking time and her milk is discarded until her treatment regimen has concluded. Every tank of milk is tested for before it leaves the farm, guaranteeing that no milk from cows currently on antibiotics is in that tank.

Learn more about cows and dairy during June Dairy Month from Illinois Farm Families at watchusgrow.org.