United States
How Big is the U.S. Cheese Stockpile?
How Big is the U.S. Cheese Stockpile?
As of August 2022, the U.S. had 1.5 billion pounds of cheese in cold storage across the country. That’s around $3.4 billion worth of cheese.
Using data from USDA, this graphic looks at just how big the U.S. cheese stockpile has gotten over the last few years, and compares it to notable landmarks to help put things into perspective.
But before diving into the data, we’ll take a step back to quickly explain why America’s cheese stockpile has gotten so big in the first place.
Why So Much Cheese?
Over the last 30 years, milk production in the U.S. has increased by 50%.
Yet, while milk production has climbed, milk consumption has declined. In 2004, Americans consumed the equivalent of about 0.57 cups of milk per day. By 2018, average milk consumption had dropped to 0.33 cup-equivalents.
In response to this predicament, the U.S. government and dairy companies have been purchasing the extra milk and storing it as cheese for years.
So, where does one store such a large amount of cheese? A sizable portion of the stockpile is stored in a massive underground warehouse (a former limestone quarry) outside of Springfield, Missouri.
The Stockpile Keeps Growing
Apart from a small dip in 2021 during the global pandemic, America’s stockpile of cheese has increased steadily over the last five years:
| Date | Total cheese in cold storage (billion pounds) | Y-o-y change (%) |
|---|---|---|
| April 2018 | 1.35 | 3.8% |
| April 2019 | 1.40 | 3.7% |
| April 2020 | 1.48 | 5.7% |
| April 2021 | 1.45 | -2.0% |
| April 2022 | 1.48 | 2.1% |
Between April 2018 and April 2022, U.S. cheese holdings increased by 130 million pounds to reach 1.48 billion pounds. After climbing up to 1.52 billion pounds in July, the stockpile settled once again at 1.48 billion pounds at the end of August 2022.
Now, the U.S. cheese stockpile weighs more than the Eiffel Tower, Statue of Liberty, Tower of Pisa, and the Great Sphinx of Giza—combined.
Is the Cheese Stockpile Here to Stay?
Attempts have been made to get rid of the cheese stockpile. Over the years, the government has established federal food welfare programs and encouraged milk consumption in schools throughout the country.
Yet, despite their best efforts to decrease the surplus, America’s cheese stockpile continues to grow.
As domestic consumers continue to decrease their milk consumption, and switch out their dairy milk for milk alternatives like almond or oat milk, how much bigger will this cheese stockpile get before the government comes up with an alternative solution to deal with its surplus of dairy?
Economy
Visualizing the Most Sought-After Entry Level Jobs in 2023
Some jobs need a degree, while others don’t. Here are the top 20 most sought-after entry level jobs with and without a degree.
The Most Sought-After Entry Level Jobs of 2023
In the fast-paced realm of job hunting, staying ahead of the curve is crucial. And if you are an entry-level job applicant, the pressure is a notch higher.
New entrants in any job market today compete with groundbreaking technology like ChatGPT in addition to their peers. In the United States, these applicants have to also wade through an uncertain labor market, inflation, and long lists of job requirements.
Indeed.com has identified the most sought-after entry level positions for applicants both with and without a degree in the U.S., and the year-on-year growth of these job postings.
Most Sought-After Entry-Level Jobs With a Degree
As the U.S. job market recovers from its pandemic slump, some careers are now booming. This in turn has opened up numerous opportunities for entry-level job applicants.
| Rank | Job Title | Average Annual Salary | Change in Postings (2022‒2023) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Outside Sales Representative | $60,000 | +258% |
| 2 | Transportation Coordinator | $47,500 | +227% |
| 3 | Quality Auditor | $84,500 | +131% |
| 4 | Accounting | $52,000 | +125% |
| 5 | Tax Preparer | $67,500 | +123% |
| 6 | Loan Processor | $55,000 | +100% |
| 7 | Retention Specialist | $50,000 | +100% |
| 8 | Network Operations Technician | $85,500 | +94% |
| 9 | Mental Health Manager | $42,000 | +93% |
| 10 | Speech-Language Pathologist | $60,000 | +84% |
| 11 | Geotechnical Engineer | $65,000 | +80% |
| 12 | Patient Access Manager | $90,000 | +77% |
| 13 | HR Coordinator | $67,500 | +75% |
| 14 | Lead Generation Specialist | $62,500 | +73% |
| 15 | Design Coordinator | $55,000 | +73% |
| 16 | Pharmaceutical Sales Representative | $74,378 | +71% |
| 17 | Behavioral Therapist | $50,000 | +68% |
| 18 | Special Events Coordinator | $54,000 | +67% |
| 19 | IT Engineer | $92,500 | +67% |
| 20 | Structural Engineer | $90,000 | +63% |
The demand for sales jobs multiplied this year as customer-facing businesses slowly returned to their pre-pandemic levels.
At the top of this list is the job for an Outside Sales Representative. Paying upwards of $60,000, postings for this job have grown by over 250% in a year, making it the most sought-after position for applicants with a degree.
The healthcare industry has secured its place in the top ranks too. Careers including mental health case managers, speech pathologists, behavioral therapists, and patient access managers dominate the Top 20 list.
Let’s not forget about the tech sector. While entry-level network technicians can earn upwards of $85,000 on average, while IT engineers are paid an entry package of over $90,000.
Most Sought-After Entry-Level Jobs Without a Degree
Nearly 65% of the U.S. working population does not have a four-year degree. However, millions of these workers continue to be highly skilled across professions and have a shot at some of the most sought-after entry level jobs in the country.
| Rank | Job Title | Average Annual Salary | Change in Postings (2022‒2023) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Inventory Manager | $59,000 | +189% |
| 2 | Auto Body Technician | $82,500 | +100% |
| 3 | Environmental Health and Safety Specialist | $65,000 | +100% |
| 4 | Salon Manager | $41,000 | +95% |
| 5 | Drafting Technician | $50,000 | +94% |
| 6 | Business Analyst | $72,500 | +82% |
| 7 | Sheet Metal Mechanic | $62,140 | +67% |
| 8 | Aircraft Maintenance Technician | $57,500 | +64% |
| 9 | Catering Manager | $47,500 | +56% |
| 10 | Transportation/Logistics Coordinator | $62,500 | +53% |
| 11 | Route Sales Representative | $50,000 | +51% |
| 12 | Rental Agent | $45,520 | +50% |
| 13 | Distribution Center Coordinator | $52,500 | +47% |
| 14 | General Maintenance Technician | $40,650 | +46% |
| 15 | Patient Care Coordinator | $43,152 | +44% |
| 16 | Forestry Technician | $45,760 | +43% |
| 17 | Relationship Banker | $43,576 | +43% |
| 18 | Field Sales Representative | $57,018 | +42% |
| 19 | Park Ranger | $45,912 | +42% |
| 20 | Warehouse Receiver | $45,000 | +39% |
One example of this job is that of an Inventory Manager. The demand for skilled inventory managers in warehouses and companies post-pandemic has doubled the position’s job share in a year.
One of the highest paying non-degree jobs in this list—Auto Body Technician—can fetch highly-skilled entry-level workers a salary of $82,000 per year.
These jobs don’t seem to require a degree according to Indeed. However, the rising competition for these positions might give the upper edge to applicants with one, especially for jobs on the list such as Business Analyst and Relationship Banker.
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