Timesuck with Dan Cummins Short Suck #49: The Milk Wars: When People Died for Dairy
Jan 9, 2026
Dive into the chaotic Milk Wars of the 1930s, where milk transformed into a battleground for survival and power. Discover how the Great Depression fueled violence, from riots to Mafia involvement, as farmers fought to protect their livelihoods. Explore the rise of home delivery and the swill milk scandal that shook consumer trust. Learn about the intense regional strikes and confrontations in North Dakota and Wisconsin, and how the industry’s corporatization led to deadly clashes. This forgotten history reveals just how fiercely Americans would fight for their dairy.
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Milk As A Strategic Commodity
- Milk was a daily nutritional staple and major revenue stream during the early 20th century.
- Its perishability and ubiquity made control of milk supply economically and politically explosive.
Safety Created Market Centralization
- Regulation improved milk safety but increased production costs and centralized distribution.
- That centralization disadvantaged small dairy farmers and intensified conflicts over price shares.
Kerosene And Deadly Clashes In Wisconsin
- Wisconsin strikers deliberately tainted over 25,000 pounds of milk with kerosene during 1933 protests.
- The state deployed the National Guard and troops used live ammunition, killing several farmers and a teenager.
