Butter shortage ?

[adam2]

There have been slight butter shortages, and much increased prices since the covid outbreak, when many dairy farmers reduced herds or got out of dairy farming entirely.

I suspect that these shortages will get worse, foot and mouth disease has broken out in Germany and imports of relevant animals from Germany are now prohibited. AFAIK imports of butter and other dairy products are not impacted. But any reduction in German dairy farming could increase general tightness of supply in milk and products made therefrom. According to BBC news, about 7% of UK milk and milk products are from Germany. A small percentage but possibly significant when supplies are already tight.

Friends in Wales own a dairy farm, and are doing well, all their milk is sold to a local factory for processing into cream cheese. They get paid according to butterfat content, not volume.

[mr brightside]

How do i get it out of my carpet though? I left a pack on the radiator to soften the other day, but when i came back it had all melted and run down into the sodding carpet. I put a wad of kitchen roll on it weighted down with a 11/2" 600lb weldable flange, but that has just left me with a flange shaped imprint in the carpet. If there's one thing i know about Powerswitch, it's that it's got all the answers; my only idea was to melt it with a heat gun and mop it up, either that or cut the bit of carpet out and wang it.

[Ralphw2]

Don't know about carpets, but from a health point of view, a reduction of butter consumption is probably a good thing, assuming it is replaced by some form of unsaturated vegetable fat in the diet. Any shortage of cheeses, on the other hand, would be a national disaster!

[Mark]

Where's the EU Butter Mountain when you need it.....???
(showing my age)

[mr brightside]

Don't know about carpets, but from a health point of view, a reduction of butter consumption is probably a good thing, assuming it is replaced by some form of unsaturated vegetable fat in the diet. Any shortage of cheeses, on the other hand, would be a national disaster!

I stay as far away from processed fats as possible, esp. vegetable fats. Your body is designed to process raw animal fats. Processed foods of any sort can't be effectively broken down by your gut, and its them that do the harm. I cook with butter and goose fat mainly.

[Ralphw2]

I don't want to get into a flame war on diet. I have been vegetarian for over 30 years and my health is holding up pretty well, so I am not going to change now. Far too much bad research on diet over the last 50 years to pick the best population level diet for the modern lifestyle. What is overtly evident is that the current Western diet is terrible overall, given the level of obesity, heart disease and diabetes.

[adam2]

How do i get it out of my carpet though? I left a pack on the radiator to soften the other day, but when i came back it had all melted and run down into the sodding carpet. I put a wad of kitchen roll on it weighted down with a 11/2" 600lb weldable flange, but that has just left me with a flange shaped imprint in the carpet. If there's one thing i know about Powerswitch, it's that it's got all the answers; my only idea was to melt it with a heat gun and mop it up, either that or cut the bit of carpet out and wang it.

Moderate heat combined with dry absorbent material such a cat litter. Heat the butter damaged carpet with a fan heater or a hairdryer, and meanwhile heat the cat litter up to about 70 or 80 degrees in slow oven. Sprinkle warmed cat litter over the stain and tread it in well. Leave for many hours. Sweep up the cat litter and then vacuum any remnants. Repeat if required.

[adam2]

Don't know about carpets, but from a health point of view, a reduction of butter consumption is probably a good thing, assuming it is replaced by some form of unsaturated vegetable fat in the diet. Any shortage of cheeses, on the other hand, would be a national disaster!

Cheese is also reported to be in short supply, though less seriously than butter. Hard cheese has a longer shelf life than does butter therefore retailers and consumers can keep larger stocks.

[BritDownUnder]

I wonder if New Zealand has any spare butter that China has not taken.

I find it good practice to keep 2 or three spare cheeses and spreads in the fridge for times such as these. The shelf (or fridge) life are several months for most.