Milk Without Borders: From the Gobi Desert to Your Table

Rooted & Restless with Marianne Smith Edge · Mar 26, 2026 · 37m

Milk might seem simple — but the story spans across the globe. In this episode of Rooted & Restless, Marianne sits down with Tom Suber to explore how milk travels from local farms to global markets. From cheese and milk powder to whey protein, today’s dairy industry is shaped as much by international demand as it is by what we consume at home.

Beyond economics, the cultural side of milk — from cow’s milk in the U.S. to camel, goat, sheep, and even fermented mare’s milk in Mongolia is explored. Drawing on their shared experience in the Gobi Desert, Marianne and Tom reflect on how milk plays a…