Here's an article that explains quite a bit about what's happening in the industry, in Idaho anyway. It answers some of the questions posters are asking.
There is more in the article.
“Cows get milked every day,” DeVries said. “We can’t just stop milking cows.”
Just 3% of the milk produced at Idaho dairies actually makes its way to milk cartons. The vast majority of Idaho milk is used to make cheese, according to
Idaho State Department of Agriculture estimates, as well as other dairy products like whey powder, butter, ice cream, sour cream, yogurt and more.
Most of those Idaho products are purchased in bulk by the food service industry or are shipped overseas. Although people are now buying more food to cook at home than usual, they aren’t purchasing products like butter, cheese or creams at the same rate as thousands of Idaho restaurants operating at full capacity.
“We’re not seeing that demand transfer, one-to-one, to what people are buying in the grocery store,” Naerebout said. “What they deliver to the (food service sector) is not the same packaging, size or anything like what you see in the grocery store. It’s not an easy transition to then be able to take what they’re producing and put it in consumer packaging. They’re just not set up to do it.”
Social media posts of Idaho dairies dumping milk have led to some Idahoans asking if they can purchase the milk instead. Unfortunately, most Idaho dairies aren’t in the position of selling or donating their own milk. You need a license from the USDA to sell raw, unpasteurized milk.
“It would be an option, but most dairies aren’t set up to do that,” Naerebout said. “And most dairies are going to shy away from the risk associated with selling milk directly, because you then take on the liability of making someone sick if the milk is unpasteurized.”
Theoretically, Naerebout said, dairy product manufacturers could retrofit plants to make more products for individual consumers. But the cost to do so would be substantial — as well as the cost to transition back after the pandemic ends, markets stabilize and restaurants reopen.
https://www.idahostatesman.com/news/business/article241869881.html
Some farmers in UK have machines and sell raw milk straight to customers. It's very popular. Or they could make it into cheese or ice cream. Also, don't the dairies have contracts and have to buy the milk?
