Membership Survey Shows Concern, Cautious Hope for Growth

Dairy Membership Survey Shows Consistent Areas of Concern, Cautious Hope for Growth in 2022

BY CAROLINE K. REFF

At the end of 2021, Northeast Dairy magazine surveyed the membership of both the Northeast Dairy Foods Association, Inc., and the Northeast Dairy Suppliers Association, Inc., to gauge their thoughts on what 2022 might bring for the dairy industry.

Interestingly, the feedback was slightly less optimistic than when Northeast Dairy completed a similar survey one year ago. At the end of 2020, as vaccines were just beginning to roll out, there was a sense of having survived an unimaginable period that just had to be the worst of the worst. Members could do nothing more than be hopeful that better days were right around the corner. Unfortunately, that has not been the case, as the U.S. is now past the two-year mark of the pandemic.

The news is not all bad, however. Almost every member who responded saw improvements and remained optimistic, even if only cautiously. The responses reflected more of a sense of acceptance that COVID-19 may be around for a lot longer than previously thought but that the country and the dairy industry were learning to work around it as best as possible. Much of the optimism stemmed from improvements in 2021 compared to the “rock bottom” year that was 2020 with the hope that

Almost every member that responded saw improvements and remained optimistic, even if only cautiously.

2022 can only continue to improve.

Still, almost every member that responded expected a “U” shaped recovery, and some anticipated that even that “U” was going to extend past 2022. Members cited the same reasons for slow recovery: the ongoing presence of COVID-19, supply chain issues and lack of workers. These issues aligned well with some of the articles and commentaries presented throughout the pages of this issue of Northeast Dairy.

Everyone is recruiting employees at all levels, and everyone is frustrated. Many respondents noted that they not only have job openings, but they are putting a great emphasis on active recruitment – everything from billboard advertising to online job training to signing bonuses – and offering wages and some perks at a level that has never been seen before. A shortage of employees is slowing production, not only for dairy manufacturers, but also at the companies that provide ingredients and supplies that