laitiers

Laitiers is a French term that historically refers to people who work with milk, primarily dairy farmers and milk sellers. The word derives from lait (milk) with the agent suffix -ier, and it has been used to describe those who produced, collected, processed, or distributed milk.

Traditionally, laitier farmers kept dairy herds and supplied nearby communities with fresh milk. In urban settings, laitier delivery rounds were common: milk was collected from producers, sometimes processed or bottled, and delivered to households, bakeries, and small shops. The role often combined farming with aspects of sales and distribution, and laitier cooperatives emerged to coordinate supply and pricing.

In contemporary usage, the term is less common as a professional label outside historical or rural contexts. The dairy sector today tends to distinguish more specifically among dairy farmers, milk processors, and distributors. In many francophone regions, however, the word may still be used in historical accounts or local speech to refer to individuals involved in the milk trade. Across the broader dairy industry, milk moves through farms, cooperatives, processing facilities, and regulated distribution networks, subject to safety standards such as pasteurization and cold-chain management.