There’s Too Much Cheese In The U.S., So Have Another Slice

Income inequality, student loan debt, Syrian refugees — these are all real problems we feel nearly powerless to solve at the moment. Wouldn't it be nice to be faced with an issue with a self-evident solution? How about, say, the fact that there is too much cheese in the U.S.? According to Bloomberg News and the USDA, the country's inventory of cheese is 1.2 billion pounds, the largest in 30 years. As much as we like imagining eating our way through this stockpile of deliciousness, this actually represents a problematic trade deficit. The issue is that the E.U. is eating into the U.S.'s cheese export market — mostly in Asia and the Middle East — because of falling dairy prices, a weakening euro, and a strengthening dollar. U.S. imports of cheese from the European Union is also on the rise. Maybe because some of us really like our Dutch Gouda or French Brie over Kraft slices? But aged Vermont cheddar is totally underrated! The report says that more than half of the U.S. inventory is American cheese, 2% is Swiss, and the rest is "other." This is basically the perfect excuse to get another fondue trend started. Shall we do our part to help out all those American dairy farmers?