August 2009

DAIRY CHECKOFF UPDATE

A periodic report for dairy media demonstrating how Dairy Management Inc.™ (DMI) and affiliated state and regional promotion organizations work to increase demand for and sales of U.S.-produced dairy products and ingredients through the programs of the American Dairy Association®, National Dairy Council® and U.S. Dairy Export Council®. For more information about these and other dairy checkoff programs, please contact Jennifer Wing at (847) 627-3225 or jennifer.wing@rosedmi.com.

Learn about Social Media at World Dairy Expo

Dairy producers can learn the latest social media tips and techniques at this year’s World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wis. Social media — which includes blogs, social networking sites, videos and photos — allows dairy producers to tell the public the story of modern dairy farming. Building a strong, positive online dairy presence helps counter misinformation and maintains public confidence in dairy foods and the people who produce them.

World Dairy Expo attendees are encouraged to attend the dairy checkoff’s social media seminar, “Using Popular Media to Tell Dairy Farming’s Story,” on Tuesday, Sept. 29, at 11 a.m. in the Exhibition Hall. Participants will learn about social media applications and tips to help share their dairy experiences, and hear personal stories from dairy producers who actively use social media.  

“More people are turning to the Internet for their news and information,” said David Pelzer, senior vice president of industry image and relations at Dairy Management Inc.™ (DMI), which manages the national dairy checkoff program. “We need producers to tell their stories and become dairy advocates to help consumers better understand our modern farming practices and to maintain confidence in dairy foods.”

The dairy checkoff booth at World Dairy Expo will provide one-on-one learning sessions about popular social media sites, such as Facebook and Twitter. Dairy producers visiting the booth can also register for the checkoff’s myDairy social media program that helps mobilize dairy advocates across the nation to engage in social media networks and online communities. Nearly 600 dairy producers and industry partners have joined the advocacy program, which shows producers effective ways to use social media sites, provides consumer-tested key messages to guide their communications, and offers a secure blog that allows dairy advocates to share their experiences.

Producers interested in becoming online dairy advocates should contact: myDairy@rosedmi.com for more information.

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