why do local, good & fresh pickle companies put an overflowing amount of pickle juice in their containers/jars? I’ve spent an unnecessary amount of time cleaning up after the first usage, sometimes even before cracking it open

I think you will get better preservation with local ones that way. As a pickle maker myself I usually go to the top of the jar to avoid the air gap. As I want to not have to pasteurise the jar to keep the living goodness in there. Also often if they are live or semi live that shit bubbles up and makes more liquid then you put in to start. Anyway yes my counter is often sticky as fuck for the same reason. 😂