# What are you paying for a 1 gallon jug of 2% cow's milk? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 12, 2010, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-paying-for-a-1-gallon-jug-of-2-cows-milk/546457 "2010-07-12T21:39:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Stoneburg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@Stoneburg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoneburg)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2010, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-paying-for-a-1-gallon-jug-of-2-cows-milk/546457/81 "2010-07-17T15:05:11Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Thing is, you’re going to be paying the subsidy tax whether you like it or no. I always see it as you might as well take advantage of it if you’re going to have to pay for it, and fight it at other times. > > Collective guilt has never made rational sense to me. Rather, you know about something wrong, so you have to do something to try to stop it (How much is up to you), but you’re never actually responsible for the actions taken without your consent. In a democracy, I think you have a responsibility. If there were two jugs of milk on the shelf, one subsidized costing $3, one not subsidized costing $6, I’d pick the $6 because it is cheaper. Externalized costs don’t disappear, they are socialized. ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2010, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-paying-for-a-1-gallon-jug-of-2-cows-milk/546457/82 "2010-07-17T17:28:58Z")
> [@Hari\_Seldon](#): > > The minimum price in Quebec (set by the province) is about $5.50 for four liters of 2%. Convert that to a gallon and put it in US dollars, it comes in in the (next to) last category. If that’s true, then I selected the wrong poll category! :smack: We probably go through about 8L of milk a week (just two of us… I love milk) and so we just buy it without really looking at the price. I thought it was still under $5 for 4 litres, but maybe not! ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2010, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-paying-for-a-1-gallon-jug-of-2-cows-milk/546457/83 "2010-07-17T17:47:47Z")
> [@kathmandu](#): > > At Costco, it’s about $4.10. At Safeway, it’s about $5.00. At the convenience store, it’s around $5.50. That’s in Canadian dollars. Organic is about double that. It is 1.99 at Kroger, cheaper at Aldis. But when is cows milk not organic? ---
**Author:** ![Olentzero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90ced4/32.png) [@Olentzero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Olentzero)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2010, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-paying-for-a-1-gallon-jug-of-2-cows-milk/546457/84 "2010-07-17T18:34:35Z")
When it’s processed, for example adding vitamins A and D to it, or if growth hormones are used on the cattle. Seems I had my data wrong on the cost of milk in Stockholm - I was thinking of the price for a 1.5-liter carton. Revised to reflect the price of a liter of milk, a gallon of milk in Sweden would cost $3.97. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2010, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-paying-for-a-1-gallon-jug-of-2-cows-milk/546457/85 "2010-07-17T23:25:11Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > It is 1.99 at Kroger, cheaper at Aldis. But when is cows milk not organic? When it comes from ELECTRO-COWS!!! ---
**Author:** ![Meyer6](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cc9497/32.png) [@Meyer6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meyer6)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2010, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-paying-for-a-1-gallon-jug-of-2-cows-milk/546457/86 "2010-07-18T04:59:51Z")
> [@Stoneburg](#): > > In a democracy, I think you have a responsibility. > > If there were two jugs of milk on the shelf, one subsidized costing $3, one not subsidized costing $6, I’d pick the $6 because it is cheaper. > > Externalized costs don’t disappear, they are socialized. Thanks for the explanation. But I don’t understand this part - I’ve never once seen two jugs of ordinary milk with such disparate prices in one store. My experience is that the price varies from town to town, not within one town or within one store. So how do you find the unsubsidized milk? ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2010, 7:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-paying-for-a-1-gallon-jug-of-2-cows-milk/546457/87 "2010-07-18T07:17:25Z")
> [@Stoneburg](#): > > In a democracy, I think you have a responsibility. > > If there were two jugs of milk on the shelf, one subsidized costing $3, one not subsidized costing $6, I’d pick the $6 because it is cheaper. > > Externalized costs don’t disappear, they are socialized. You don’t seem to get it. It doesn’t matte if you buy non-subsidized milk. You will still be paying for the subsidy. So you aren’t paying $6, you’re paying $9, when you have the choice to pay $6. I see no reason not to take advantage of the subsidy as long as it exists. You for sure haven’t given any, as all the bad things you mention will still happen whether I personally buy the subsidized milk or not. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2010, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-paying-for-a-1-gallon-jug-of-2-cows-milk/546457/88 "2010-07-18T07:26:12Z")
> [@Olentzero](#): > > When it’s processed, for example adding vitamins A and D to it, or if growth hormones are used on the cattle. > > Seems I had my data wrong on the cost of milk in Stockholm - I was thinking of the price for a 1.5-liter carton. Revised to reflect the price of a liter of milk, a gallon of milk in Sweden would cost $3.97. Or even if they are given preventative antibiotics. I actually know someone who raises cattle for less than a dollar a day per head (or even less), and she does it by letting natural selection thin out the herd. She uses this as evidence that organic is actually cheaper, at least in this context. Also, I apparently misunderstood what my Dad was doing. He just gets it from a retail place that sells gallons at 2 for $5, which is the cheapest deal around here. He does the bulk thing with so many other things, I thought he did it with that, but it turns out the local wholesaler is actually more expensive than that retail deal. Apparently the retailer sells the milk at a loss. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2010, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-paying-for-a-1-gallon-jug-of-2-cows-milk/546457/89 "2010-07-18T07:43:04Z")
$4.19 at Safeway, but every few weeks, it’s on sale for $2.99 ---
**Author:** ![Olentzero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90ced4/32.png) [@Olentzero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Olentzero)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2010, 8:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-paying-for-a-1-gallon-jug-of-2-cows-milk/546457/90 "2010-07-18T08:31:13Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Or even if they are given preventative antibiotics. I actually know someone who raises cattle for less than a dollar a day per head (or even less), and she does it by letting natural selection thin out the herd. She uses this as evidence that organic is actually cheaper, at least in this context. Is that even ethical in this day and age? Seems to me health inspectors and the dairy authorities might take a dim view of this approach. ---
**Author:** ![Stoneburg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@Stoneburg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoneburg)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2010, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-paying-for-a-1-gallon-jug-of-2-cows-milk/546457/91 "2010-07-18T16:22:34Z")
> [@gonzomax](#): > > It is 1.99 at Kroger, cheaper at Aldis. But when is cows milk not organic? Actually we don’t use the word ‘organic’ here I only used it because it’s the american label most commonly used. Here we say ‘ecological’ and if something is ecologically grown or produced it means it uses ecologically sustainable methods. Like not using artificial pestecides or fertilizers. > [@Meyer6](#): > > Thanks for the explanation. But I don’t understand this part - I’ve never once seen two jugs of ordinary milk with such disparate prices in one store. My experience is that the price varies from town to town, not within one town or within one store. So how do you find the unsubsidized milk? It was a just theoretical construct to be used as an example. > [@BigT](#): > > You don’t seem to get it. It doesn’t matte if you buy non-subsidized milk. You will still be paying for the subsidy. So you aren’t paying $6, you’re paying $9, when you have the choice to pay $6. > > I see no reason not to take advantage of the subsidy as long as it exists. You for sure haven’t given any, as all the bad things you mention will still happen whether I personally buy the subsidized milk or not. Actually it is consumer influence. Just like if you decide to only buy hybrid cars, you will both stimulate the production of hybrids and decrease the demand for non-hybrids. Your argument boils down to “it doesn’t matter what one individual does”. I think it does matter what you vote for with your ballot at election time, and I think it matters what you continually vote for with your money when you consume. ---
**Author:** ![Susanann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ab992/32.png) [@Susanann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Susanann)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2010, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-paying-for-a-1-gallon-jug-of-2-cows-milk/546457/92 "2010-07-18T22:52:39Z")
> [@crazyjoe](#): > > . Wednesday is 99 cent milk day. So we buy milk on wednesday. > ! I get it for around 99cents all the time… cuz…I buy the 3.5% milk for about 2 bucks or less, and then I dilute it myself down to around 2%. ---
**Author:** ![Susanann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ab992/32.png) [@Susanann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Susanann)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2010, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-paying-for-a-1-gallon-jug-of-2-cows-milk/546457/93 "2010-07-18T22:55:22Z")
> [@crazyjoe](#): > > I can’t beleive it’s so much more in Canada. And it comes in a bag, not even a proper plastic jug! That’s just insane! Milk in a plastic bag? Those crazy Canadians! What else do they sell in bags? Coca Cola? beer? ---
**Author:** ![Manwich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e480ec/32.png) [@Manwich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manwich)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2010, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-paying-for-a-1-gallon-jug-of-2-cows-milk/546457/94 "2010-07-19T03:57:23Z")
137 yen/litre = 137 \* 3.78541178 = 518.601414 yen/gallon = 6USD for a gallon Jeebers! Didn’t know milk was so much cheaper in the US. But a gallon of milk? What do you people do with it? Water your lawns? ---
**Author:** ![Meyer6](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cc9497/32.png) [@Meyer6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Meyer6)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2010, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-paying-for-a-1-gallon-jug-of-2-cows-milk/546457/95 "2010-07-19T04:21:38Z")
> [@Stoneburg](#): > > It was a just theoretical construct to be used as an example. Oh, okay. > [@](#): > > Actually it is consumer influence. Just like if you decide to only buy hybrid cars, you will both stimulate the production of hybrids and decrease the demand for non-hybrids. But how do you create consumer influence if unsubsidized milk isn’t even available where you are? Do you just not buy it at all? ---
**Author:** ![Caveat\_lector\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea5d25/32.png) [@Caveat\_lector\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caveat_lector_1)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2010, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-paying-for-a-1-gallon-jug-of-2-cows-milk/546457/96 "2010-07-19T05:17:10Z")
> [@Manwich](#): > > 137 yen/litre > = 137 \* 3.78541178 = 518.601414 yen/gallon > = 6USD for a gallon > > Jeebers! Didn’t know milk was so much cheaper in the US. But a gallon of milk? What do you people do with it? Water your lawns? I drink 1-2 glasses of milk a day and with the size of my glasses that comes out to about 15-30 oz of milk a day so I can easily go through a gal in around a week. Add in more than one person with similar habits and it goes pretty quick. When I was growing up my parents used to buy 2 gal at a time to keep up with my brother and I. Oh and milk is usually on sale for around 2.30-2.80 at the Kroger I shop at. Thats in south Georgia. ---
**Author:** ![Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b38774/32.png) [@Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swords_to_Plowshares)\ **Post date:** [July 19, 2010, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-paying-for-a-1-gallon-jug-of-2-cows-milk/546457/97 "2010-07-19T18:10:16Z")
I buy it at a convenience store that’s within walking distance. $3 a gallon seems reasonable since everything else is expensive (it’s in the high rent area in a college town). ---
**Author:** ![Stoneburg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@Stoneburg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoneburg)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-paying-for-a-1-gallon-jug-of-2-cows-milk/546457/98 "2010-07-20T14:15:41Z")
> [@Meyer6](#): > > But how do you create consumer influence if unsubsidized milk isn’t even available where you are? Do you just not buy it at all? By buying the expensive ecologically produced milk, thus showing myself to be less sensitive to price and more to quality as well as ethical/political connections. The message I am sending is: I don’t want ‘cheap’ products, I want ethically produced quality products. And I am willing to pay for them. ---
**Author:** ![Kiyoshi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e19adc/32.png) [@Kiyoshi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kiyoshi)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2010, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-paying-for-a-1-gallon-jug-of-2-cows-milk/546457/99 "2010-07-20T20:56:36Z")
I agree with **Manwich** about the mind-bogglingness of a gallon bottle of milk (Google tells me a gallon is about 4.5 litres). How does that even fit in the fridge? I’m not sure what 2% milk is, but I pay 0.86 GBP for 1 litre of skimmed milk, which converts to 5.98 USD per gallon. ---
**Author:** ![Olentzero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90ced4/32.png) [@Olentzero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Olentzero)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2010, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-paying-for-a-1-gallon-jug-of-2-cows-milk/546457/100 "2010-07-21T05:51:17Z")
> [@Kiyoshi](#): > > Google tells me a gallon is about 4.5 litres 1 gallon is equal to 3.79 liters. At least that’s what every conversion site I could find tells me. ETA: I see where the confusion is. You were looking at dry gallons, not liquid gallons. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-paying-for-a-1-gallon-jug-of-2-cows-milk/546457.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-you-paying-for-a-1-gallon-jug-of-2-cows-milk/546457.md?page=6)