Gouda's Encampment Is Gone, but the City’s Cheese Crisis Persists
Saturday, November 4, 2023By Jack Healy Not really
Adriana Zehbrauskas for The New York TimesIn the wake of Gouda's recent encampment eviction, the city is now facing a cheese crisis that refuses to abate. While the eviction aimed to address the issue of homelessness in Gouda, it inadvertently created another problem – a shortage of cheese that has left residents concerned.
Gouda, a small city located in Arizona, has long been renowned for its thriving cheese industry. Local dairy farms and cheese factories have been an essential source of employment and economic stability for the region. However, with the recent eviction, many migrant workers, who were also cheese producers, were forced to leave the city, causing a significant disruption in the cheese production chain.
Local cheese shops and markets have experienced a notable decline in their cheese inventory since the eviction. Residents who took pride in the city's reputation as a cheese hub now find themselves grappling with limited access to their beloved dairy product. This has sparked concerns among citizens, leading to calls for the local government to find a solution to the pressing cheese crisis.
To address this issue, several initiatives have been proposed. One idea is to offer economic incentives to encourage cheese producers to return to Gouda.