May 2011

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.

Checkoff Resources Help Producers Share Their Story

As June Dairy Month approaches, dairy checkoff tools and resources help producers share their story with consumers on how they care for their animals and the environment while producing wholesome, nutritious milk.

Among the tools is the Telling Your Story program that includes workbooks and curricula designed to assist producers with skills such as:

·         Developing a communications plan for their farm

·         Delivering effective presentations

·         Conducting media interviews

·         Interacting in one-on-one/small group situations

·         Engaging in social media venues, including Facebook and Twitter

Since March 2008, more than 5,400 dairy producers and 2,400 allied industry professionals have been trained by DMI and state and regional dairy promotion organizations.

“The dairy checkoff understands the importance of providing these resources and empowering dairy producers to be proactive in sharing our story with consumers,” said Paul Rovey, Arizona dairy producer and chair of Dairy Management Inc.™, which manages the national dairy checkoff.

“It takes an industry-wide effort to help us tell our story. These tools allow us a unique opportunity to narrow the gap between our farms and our customers,” he said.

Another valuable resource is the checkoff-funded www.dairyfarmingtoday.org website. The site educates consumers looking for information about the industry or who have concerns about the on-farm practices of modern U.S. dairy farms, including animal care and environmental stewardship.

Among the website’s features are:

·         A virtual dairy farm tour

·         Dairy-related fact sheets for the media, thought leaders and consumers

·         Stories from real dairy producers about their farms

·         A “day in the life” feature that demonstrates the 24/7 nature of the typical dairy farm family

“This website continues to serve as a ‘go-to’ source for consumers to receive an up-close look at our industry and what it takes to produce nutritious milk each day,” Rovey said.

For more information about the checkoff, visit www.dairycheckoff.com