MIDDLEBURY CENTER, Pa. – Pennsylvania recently led a multi-state response to redirect millions of pounds of milk that were at risk of spoilage as a result of a temporary pause in processing at the Great Lakes Cheese plant in Franklinville, New York.

PennDOT coordinated closely with the New York State Department of Transportation, the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, and the dairy industry to authorize the issuance of single trip permits to haul milk on specific routes to milk processing plants in Pennsylvania in less than 24 hours. Rather than dispose of raw milk — a scenario every dairy farmer wants to prevent — that milk is going to be available for consumers thanks to Pennsylvania’s quick permitting processes that allowed the milk’s preservation during the Great Lakes Cheese plant’s unanticipated pause.

“This is an incredible story of building bridges between the public and private sectors,” said Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) Secretary Mike Carroll. “Thanks to the work of everyone here, millions of gallons of milk that would have potentially been wasted will be safely transported to Pennsylvania processors.”

Pennsylvania has a celebrated agricultural tradition, which continues to fuel the regional economy. With the second highest number of dairy farms in the nation, the Commonwealth plays a critical role in the strength and stability of the Northeast’s agricultural economy. Pennsylvania’s dairy industry provides more than 47,000 jobs and supports the state economy to the tune of $11.8 billion annually.

“One plant closing, even a temporary one, can cost millions in lost products, and have ripple effects down to the empty grocery shelves at the end of the supply chain,” Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding said.

New York State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball said, “We’re grateful to our neighbors at the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and Department of Transportation, our New York State Department of Transportation, and all of our partners for their swift action in temporarily modifying hauling regulations to allow for the transportation of New York milk. This not only mitigates the impact to our dairy farmers in New York, but also ensures minimal disruption in the supply chain for consumers.”

Dairy Farmers of America Middlebury Center in Tioga County is one of five processing plants where the displaced milk will be transported. The milk was also transferred to:

Dairy Farmers of America in Reading, Berks County.

Dairy Farmers of America in New Wilmington, Lawrence County.

Leprino Foods in Sayre, Bradford County.

Upstate Niagara Cooperative in Williamsport, Lycoming County.

“The recent shutdown of the Great Lakes Cheese plant in New York has displaced more than 3.6 million pounds of milk, which has significant consequences for dairy farmers that rely on the Great Lakes Cheese plant to get their product to market,” said Tim Wood, PFB State Board Director and member of Pennsylvania Farm Bureau’s Dairy and Farm Policy Committee. “It’s vital that we keep this milk moving to plants in Pennsylvania to prevent farmers from having to dump their milk, which would lead to a loss of revenue and negatively impact our supply chain. A short-term adjustment is incredibly important to support our farmers, and we thank Governor Shapiro for supporting our dairy farmers impacted by this plant shutdown.”