Price of Store Brand Butter

[Chuck White]

Here, most store brand salted butter is $3.99 to $4.99 per pound.

[B.C.C. Lapp]

Thats crazy.
  We make our own.    I dont know how folks can pay for eggs, meat, milk and vegetables. Somebody told me eggs were 6 bucks a dozen in the store.   Holy smokes we only charge 4 bucks a dozen for eggs laid that day.   I'm real thankful we feed ourselves.

[Southside]

Our butter is $10 and we can't make enough. Sadly it has to be that price as a small operation the cost of production is so high. 

Egg sales are through the roof too. Haven't quite finished another portable coop and there are 300 hens arriving tomorrow moving in. My supplier could not guarantee they would be here next month as planned. 

[thecfarm]

Eggs in the store are $4 here. 
Butter is high too.

[sawguy21]

It's insane! I want butter but won't pay 7 bucks a pound, cheddar cheese is 10. Eggs are $6. Being on pension I have to be very careful shopping for groceries, I don't have the luxury of producing my own. I talked to a market gardener last spring, she stopped producing haskap berries because the market won't pay what she needs to make them worthwhile.

[btulloh]

2.19-2.99. Just as good as the name brands.


BUT NOT AS GOOD AS SOUTHSIDE'S!

[Jeff]

Last week, s dozen large eggs were $6.27 a dozen at the cedarville grocery. I opted instead for a dozen cake donuts for $3.27

[Chuck White]

I guess it's crazy everywhere!    :-\

[Ljohnsaw]

Yeah, I was shocked when I went shopping for a few things yesterday.  Eggs had normally been around $1.59-1.99/dz.  They hit mid $3 last week and now $6.38 yesterday!  Store brand butter $4.  Crazy.  Good thing I don't eat many eggs!

[Old Greenhorn]

We are selling eggs for 5 bucks a dozen at the stand but  the chickens aren't really motivated right now, so we have none, just enough for family. 6 months ago 5 bucks was a lot, right now apparently not. I obviously prefer local chickens I know and have talked to, rather than some corporate chicken I never met who may have a hidden agenda. I eat eggs everyday for breakfast and sometimes lunch too. If we don't have eggs I don't eat as much.

[Ianab]

Eggs have gone up here, and are in short supply. Govt mandated that all battery cage farms shut down at the start of the year. There are colony cages / barn and free range now. But what the industry got wrong was not enough operations switched to the better methods, a relatively small % simply closed up. So although there was plenty of warning (x years), egg production dropped by 10-20% at the start of the year. And as you know, it takes a few months to raise more chickens to egg laying age, so the farmers can't just increase production overnight, even if they have the space. It will catch up of course, and we will pay a little more for our eggs.

Supermarket today did have eggs in stock, "barn raised" and about NZ $9 a dozen, and a limit of one carton. Probably 6 months or so for things to settle down. 


 Butter was about NZ$6 / lb, for the store brand or one of the Fonterra brands on special. So butter is an international commodity.  Although NZ makes a zillion tons of it, most gets exported, and it doesn't get sold cheaper on the local market. Price is mostly determined by what the Saudis / Chinese / Phillipinos are willing to pay. Although the US produces a pretty large amount of butter, it's not a big exporter. But international prices are still going to affect local ones. 

[newoodguy78]

It's going to take quite awhile for these staple item prices to stabilize or if we're lucky go down. There's a major lag in what agricultural producers are investing to produce the raw materials needed for the finished products in the case of commodity eggs that would be grain. 
The price of cartons alone has gone up by 20 percent. Grain is through the roof. Couple that with massive numbers of chickens being euthanized and bingo here we are. 
Same thing has happened to the dairy industry. Most people don't realize the inputs necessary to run even the most efficient of operations. It's staggering, every single one of those inputs has gone up. That combined with the major fluid milk buyers in the northeast capping what they'll buy here we stand. 
I dislike these prices as much as anyone else.  It's just another sign that the American dollar is worth less. 
I feel bad for people on fixed incomes especially the elderly. It's bad enough for someone young enough to still hustle. Working your whole life thinking you're going to retire comfortably then be faced with these prices ....no good 

[Southside]

I don't see the prices coming back down.  Wheat and corn futures are still up, and point of lay hens are in VERY short supply, which means day olds and fertile eggs are in very short supply, point being it's going to get worse before it gets better.  My supplier is a very down to earth guy who grows several million birds a year and produces millions of dozens of eggs, so when he tells me something I listen.  

Almost all commodity milk price, and by default butter, in the US is controlled by the Federal Milk Marketing Order, a small board that meets monthly and "sets the price" of what creameries will pay dairy farmers for their milk.  In a nutshell it's starvation wages for any family sized operation.  You are either HUGE or niche to survive in the milk business these days.  

We have been warned that this is coming, and it's only the beginning.  

[Ianab]

Almost all commodity milk price, and by default butter, in the US is controlled by the Federal Milk Marketing Order, a small board that meets monthly and "sets the price" of what creameries will pay dairy farmers for their milk.  In a nutshell it's starvation wages for any family sized operation.  You are either HUGE or niche to survive in the milk business these days.

NZ payouts are mostly controlled by Fonterra, the large dairy co-operative. Difference is that it's a supplier owned co-operative. You have to be a shareholder to supply milk to them, and payout is determined by the company's current profit margins. And that's determined by the International markets. The Company does it's best to forecast and maintain payouts during slumps in price. So farmer payouts don't fluctuate as sildly as International prices. But the Board is ultimately responsible to the Company shareholders, which are the actual farmers. 

But economies of scale still come into play, and there has been a lot a consolidation of farming operations over the years. The 50 acre / 50 cow dairy farms of 75 years ago would now be both worth a million $, and wouldn't support a family. Average is now 300+, a couple of staff, and a multi-million operation. Most are still family owned, but run as a Trust or Company for tax / accounting / succession reasons. 

As you say there are niche operations, because there is now a demand for that. But it's like craft breweries, they cater for maybe 2% of the market, and don't have the economy of scale advantage. 

[Paul_H]

We have around 1-2 dozen laying hens at any given time and there really isn't much that ends up in the compost or landfill as far as food waste and even better when we had meat rabbits. I'd like to have a chicken tractor like Jim has but it hasn't happened yet. I grew 1200 lbs of spuds this year for our family and to share with friends and to feed the chickens and rabbits because the woodstove is hot at least 6 months of the year and it's easy to have a big pot boiling. We also grew a large patch of Mangels for the hens and they love to peck them into oblivion right now when the days are dark and short.

Other than the tilling all the hilling and digging was done by hand with a hoe early in the morning before work and in the evening after work as a way to unwind from serving customers at the shop. I had a couple people want to buy 400 lbs from us but gave them the names of a couple small farmers here locally that have been supportive of our business and I know they could use the sales. We got our laying hens as 2 day old chicks and rabbits from them ready to kindle and sweet potato slips etc. We point a lot of people to them because we need a more resilient local food supply chain and word is getting around. We buy most of our milk from a small local dairy that produces their own products including cheese and yogurt.

We have been selling at $5 a dozen to friends.

I thought this video short was interesting. I think things are going to get tighter as more (systematic)pressure is put on farmers and the food chain. 

Joel Salatin On Why Everyone Should Have Chickens #short #shorts #salatin #joerogan #chicken #JRE - YouTube

Sawguy/Roy
you can still find butter at $4-5.00 on sale here ,just buy a few lbs and freeze it between sales cause life is better with butter

[Southside]

Here if you are shipping bulk milk then you will belong to a cooperative that you bought into and in many cases have to buy "rights" of one form of another to get the full FMO price for your milk, otherwise you get a discounted price, oh and you pay the trucking to the milk plant. 

These days I don't see how anyone milking under 600 head is going to make it long term, so you either own or lease a lot of land, or you are buying a tremendous amount of feed.  You will be married to the cows as nobody wants to live the lifestyle of a dairyman, so you and yours better love doing it all.  A parlor for that many head is probably $2 million these days not including the free stall barn to go with it and that has a 20 year lifespan at most.  A robot to milk 50 cows is north of $300K and is junk in 10 years.  Add in the cattle, rolling stock, land, the actual creamery to process the milk and suddenly it's hard to see how butter at a retail store sells for $4 a lb.  

[Ianab]

If it was easy and cheap, everyone would be doing it.  ;)   As you say, if you are making a niche market product, it's NOT cheaper, and you have to charge a premium. 

The "I can keep a dozen chickens and feed them mostly on scraps" and save money only works if you don't account for your time. Hey, no disrespect to the the chicken keepers, and the 10 mins a day you spend isn't wasted. But if you wanted to produce 10,000  eggs a day, the maths would be very different. As in you have to hire staff and buy in food, and build 1,000 chicken houses. 

Climate advantage here in NZ is that cattle graze outside all your round. So most farms can make some hay / silage to keep them going over Winter when grass growth is slow. Some supplemental food might be bought in, but the economics of that are debatable, Wrapped silage is a pretty low man hour task, as is feeding it out with the right attachment on the tractor. So this time of year the contractor's tractors are on the road all the time going from farm to farm. Sure you have to pay the contractor, but the original feed is your own, and it's generally cheaper than buying a machine that you only use 2 days a year. 

[sawguy21]

@Paul_H I haven't seen butter at that price for quite some time but will definitely watch for it.

[LeeB]

Haven't quite finished another portable coop

Care to share some pics of the coop?

[SwampDonkey]

$4.50 - $5.00 on sales here, regular price around $6.50 now. Dairy is regulated here provincially and federally on a quota system. You can only grow if you acquire more and someone gives it up plus what ever population growth allows, which isn't much in the frozen north. Most dairy farms in New Brunswick are Dutch immigrants these days. Started about 40 years ago displacing local farmers. The last dairy farm on this road closed and sold the quota a year ago. Kids aren't farming and the couple are in their late 50's. New Brunswick is only allowed 2% of the market. Like everything else, upper Canada controls the market. Most everything is marked Supato now in tiny print, which is a Quebec conglomerate. The cream is all tainted with carageenen now, so I never touch the stuff. Even the canned milk. :

[newoodguy78]

Haven't quite finished another portable coop

Care to share some pics of the coop?

Those coops he's running are CUSTOM with a K. He's probably waiting for the patent to go through before he posts any pics :D :D

[Walnut Beast]

Yeah, I was shocked when I went shopping for a few things yesterday.  Eggs had normally been around $1.59-1.99/dz.  They hit mid $3 last week and now $6.38 yesterday!  Store brand butter $4.  Crazy.  Good thing I don't eat many eggs!

A guy locally in the city said on the news at his restaurant that his egg prices went from 500 bucks a week to 2,500 bucks now and he says he is maybe going to have to go to a buck a egg because he said he can't continue to loose money and not make anything. These crazy prices are effecting everybody! But they say the economy is getting better! RIGHT!!!

[SwampDonkey]

I'll bet chicken feed at large operations is high now to. A guy with 2 dozen hens and a big garden can feed his own most of the year. Grind up some corn and whatever else you can grow for feed to mix in and grind up the shells as consumed and put them back in. Local across the road $7/dozen. We buy eggs on sale $3/dozen in the store. Reg prices in stores are $5-7 depends on brand. But we just bought 3 dozen at $3 a dozen.

[Southside]

I'll get a couple of the "Gen 1" and "Gen 2" models posted. I can't take credit for the carpentry, that was done by a visiting member. 

Now the "Gen 3" model is like the new stealth bomber, any photos will be taken with light blaring from behind to wash out the details and only taken from the front to avoid the propulsion system from being reverse engineered.  Yes, Gen 3 is self propelled.  8)

[petefrom bearswamp]

One local market here has jumbo eggs at $3.19. we keep waiting for the price to go up, but it has been stable at that price for at least a month.
Eggs that size make for a hearty breakfast and I just finished mine.
Wife says butter at Aldi was $3.79 last week.

[LeeB]

Just bought scratch and layer pellets yesterday. Scratch was $25/100 and pellets was 28.80/100. For sure the commercial operator gets a better price because of volume but it still adds up. Add in the middleman's costs and eggs ain't a cheap food any more.

[thecfarm]

Good deal on grain!!
When I left the hardware/grain store layer was a little over $20 for a 50# bag.

[newoodguy78]

 

 

 
This isn't store brand. However it's a good indication of what small time producers and vendors have to charge to make a profit. I know the mark up on these products and it's on the low side of most retail operations. 
Products and prices like these certainly aren't for everyone. The number of people willing to pay these prices put a value on knowing where their food comes from. I've seen a rising number of people from all walks of life and income levels being drawn to these products knowing and trusting the source of their food. 

[Paul_H]

This milk and other dairy products are produced on a small independent family farm near us and there are two more a bit farther away. The milk is not quite double the price of regular store bought milk but is creamy and we know where it comes from and where they live. It really came to light for us when the highways to the coast were cut off over a year ago and milk and other supplies were under pressure, dairies were dumping milk into the manure pits and yet people couldn't buy milk or cream because the farmers could lose their livelihood if caught. Since then we support more local small independent family owned farms and enterprises so they can grow and be there in hard times and good.

It's nice to open a new bottle and pour a bottle into a glass and have a dollop of cream drop out.
They make great cheeses too.

[SwampDonkey]

I think it is great to be able to do that, all for it. The trouble is our milk production here is tightly controlled. The only dairy farm we had on this road is gone now. But, you and I could not go there and buy milk. It's not that the farmer had anything against it, he in fact tried to sell direct to local customers. The government stepped in and would have no part of it and put an end to it a number of years ago. You can't buy milk or cream at any farmer's market around here either. Back a few years ago there was a local dairy who set up his own processing, that part of the operation lasted about 10 years. Everything here now had been acquired by conglomerates in Quebec. The 100 plus year old brands that began before regulations are just names held by outsiders. The local dairy here that sold out, said their milk was shipped to Quebec by then.


The monthly newsletter of Dairy Farmers of New Brunswick.

https://www.nbmilk.org/downloads/milk-matters/January%20Milk%20Matters%20ENG.pdf

[SwampDonkey]

Big bucks there for 1/2 a lb. I know it's not cheap to produce, I have no illusions about it. But I can't pay them prices. When do I get a raise? :D

[Paul_H]

ABOUT US | grassrootdairies

These people are still independent, thank goodness for stubborn Dutchmen

[sawguy21]

There were two large dairies not far from here that were eventually bought up by a large conglomerate then shut down. Most milk is now trucked to a huge operation near Vancouver for processing  and distribution, the major retailers don't deal with the small local plants. No wonder our costs are so high! As Paul mentioned we were cut off from the coast for a time, dairy products and other foodstuffs were in very short supply. I just wish my pension would go up accordingly. >:(

[SwampDonkey]

Yes, you guys out there have all them mountain ranges to drive through and some highways following rivers with steep mountains beside. A road can be blocked in most any bad weather event. Even worst would be blocked from either end, then it would get a bit more squirrelly.

[Ianab]

Ironically it's the large dairy factories that are keeping the prices down (hard to believe I know). 

Paul's local dairy shows that, they are MORE expensive, but are still operating by supplying a superior or "niche" product. It's the same as your craft beers, the small local operations don't have a hope of competing on price with the industrial scale breweries. They have to look for the niche markets. Cheese is exactly the same, the small produces can't hope to compete selling 2 lb blocks of cheddar in the supermarket. But some specialist feta / mozzarella /  smoked etc, then they are competing against the expensive imported stuff and the higher prices make it viable. 

[Magicman]

Which is what us guys with portable sawmills do every day.  A commercial sawmill can saw in two minutes what it takes me all day to saw.  It's a niche market.  I am not in competition with them and neither are they in competition with me.

[Southside]

Yup - and the quality of both products reveals itself accordingly.  You get what you pay for.   Store milk these days really isn't milk anymore.  Modern pasteurization is done using a continuous process known as HTST, High Temperature Short Time, method.  The milk is headed to 211F for a 1/2 second, before being further processed, vitamins added, butter fat added back in, etc.  The issue is that at 195F milk proteins fracture.  You need to heat milk to above that temperature to make quality yogurt and the fractured protein is essential so the culture has more surface area to bond to and react the milk.  Well the same fractured protein product is now put into a bottle for people to drink.  Our bodies rightfully don't see it as yogurt, and they don't recognize it as milk any longer, for some of us that means our bodies violently reject it - lactose intolerance.  We have many lactose intolerant customers who get our milk weekly, had a new one begin just last week, and they can all drink our milk just fine.  

Cheap, modern, food isn't worth the savings.   

[21incher]

We find it's not just butter and eggs that have doubled in price lately. Or maybe it's just that the dollar is shrinking.  Costco had no eggs last week brown or white so we saved a lot of money to put towards the $10 box of cereal that was $4 a couple months ago.

[SwampDonkey]

Funny about cereal, a lot here comes from England. Been buying the same brand for 5 or 6 years, the price is always fluctuating, but I buy on sales at $5.00 a 500 g box on sales. And another one is usually around $6.50 for 680 grams. And I also get steel cut Quaker oats, which are cheap. Store brand is cheaper, but inferior to. :D I always add more stuff to oat cereal, including chashews, dates or Turkish figs and a mix of seeds and dried fruit that is labelled for salad topping, no salt. Saltless cashews are $10 more than ones with salt. How can less ingredients cost more? Just another gimmick to push salted processed crap. The food processors are masters at their game.  One clue the prices are manipulated is when the store put a freeze on prices of it's brand products. How come it doesn't have the same pricing pressures? :D