Just after midnight on Tuesday, Oct. 1, 45,000 port workers from Maine to Texas went on strike, preventing the unloading of goods at 36 United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) terminals along the East and Gulf Coast.

Marked by growing imports, the major challenge of adding value to solids non-fat (SNF) (which is putting pressure on farm gate prices) and the highest interest rates in over 20 years, the dairy industry is facing a challenging economic situation. Here's a look at a lucid industry that has been challenged before.