California Dairy Families Support Southern California Schools With Sweepstakes

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. and MODESTO, Calif. — The California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB), representing California's 1620 dairy families, today announced the Real Seal Appeal! sweepstakes and promotion where Southern California elementary schools can win up to $2 million in cash, books and other prizes for collecting Real California Milk seals. Families in participating elementary school districts from San Luis Obispo to San Diego counties* can get "moo-tivated" to help their teachers and schools win simply by collecting Real California Milk seals from the dairy products they already buy and turning them in to their teachers to enter.

In addition to much needed classroom resources, the three-month Real Seal Appeal! promotion provides healthy eating and drinking messages to children and families and even gives students a chance to win Wii Fit™** game prizes to support fitness. Materials about the program will be sent home with students and include cents-off coupons for products that carry the seal. With up to $2 million in cash, Scholastic books and school supply prizes up for grabs, it's never been easier for students and their families to help their teachers and classrooms. Each Real California Milk seal turned in to the teacher counts as one sweepstakes entry so the more seals collected, the more chances teachers have to win.

"The Real Seal Appeal! sweepstakes is a way for the California dairy industry to give back to schools at a time when they are struggling for funds and supplies while educating students and families about the importance of incorporating California dairy products into a healthy diet," said Stan Andre, CEO of the CMAB. "We know healthy eating contributes to healthier kids who perform better in school, which is why it is important to have a balanced diet complete with calcium-rich foods like milk."

The Real Seal Appeal! sweepstakes runs from October 1, 2011 until December 31, 2011. Classroom materials include promotional posters, nutrition education resources for teachers and coupons for California dairy products. Students and their families can help teachers enter by collecting Real California Milk seals from the milk and dairy products they buy at retail and submitting them to their teachers. Each seal counts as one entry. Contest rules and restrictions are available at www.scholastic.com/sealappeal.

Dairy products made with California milk can be identified by the Real California Milk seal, which certifies that the products are made exclusively with milk produced on California dairy farms. Ninety- nine percent of California dairy farms are family-owned. California produces more fluid milk, butter, ice cream, yogurt and nonfat dry milk than any other state. The state is the second-largest producer of cheese, which is available nationally under the Real California Cheese seal.

*Participating counties include Imperial, Kern, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura

** Nintendo and Wii are trademarks of Nintendo of America Inc. All rights reserved. Nintendo of America is not a sponsor or participant of this program.

About the California Milk Advisory Board

The California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB), an instrumentality of the California Department of Food and Agriculture, is funded by the state's more than 1,620 dairy families. With headquarters in South San Francisco and Modesto, the CMAB is one of the largest commodity boards in the United States. The CMAB executes advertising, public relations, research and retail and foodservice promotional programs on behalf of California dairy products, including Real California Milk and Real California Cheese. For more information on California dairy products, visit www.RealCaliforniaMilk.com.

Source: California Milk Advisory Board