PHILADELPHIA – The farmer-funded dairy checkoff provides tools and resources to help farmers 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 farmers and 2,400 allied industry professionals have been trained by national state and regional dairy promotion organizations, including Mid-Atlantic Dairy Association and Pennsylvania Dairy Promotion Program.
“The dairy checkoff understands the importance of providing these resources and empowering dairy farmers to be proactive in sharing our story with consumers,” said Vernon Horst, chairman of Mid-Atlantic Dairy Association and a local participant in Telling Your Story program.
“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 http://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,” Horst said.
For more information about the dairy checkoff and the Telling Your Story program, visit http://www.dairyspot.com/.
Mid-Atlantic Dairy Association and Pennsylvania Dairy Promotion Program are the local planning and management organizations funded by dairy farmer checkoff dollars. They work closely with Dairy Management Inc. and are responsible for increasing demand for U.S. -produced dairy products on behalf of Mid-Atlantic dairy farmers. For more information, visit http://www.dairyspot.com/.
Source: Mid-Atlantic Dairy Association