SYRACUSE, N.Y. – The Spring 2023 Virtual Farm Tours, coordinated by American Dairy Association North East, wrap up on May 25, at Pheasant Echos Farm, Westminster, Md., with host Crystal Stambaugh Edwards. Dairy farmers are encouraged to share the information with their local schools.
Since launching the Virtual Farm Tour concept in 2018, the tours have racked up nearly 620,000 viewers between live streaming and recorded replays.
“This program is building trust in dairy by helping students make the connection with those who are producing the milk and products they enjoy at school and at home,” said ADA North East CEO John Chrisman. “The program also gains credibility when dairy farmers share the registration information with their local schools, which we encourage you to do.”
Two separate tour sessions, along with free lesson plans, will take place on the same day at each farm, including:
- For Grades 6-12 – A deep dive tour that focuses on how farms use technology and experts to provide care for their animals and the land.
- For Pre-K- Grade 5 – A general tour with that covers three primary areas on the farm – where calves live, where cows live, and where cows are milked.
The free teacher-developed student lesson plans meet Common Core Standards for elementary, middle and high school classes.
Tyler Beck of Beck Farms, Freeville, N.Y., hosted a tour in March that garnered 8,000 viewers, and Chris Waddell of Apple Shamrock Dairy Farms in Townville, Pa., drew nearly 6,700 viewers for her tour in April. The students had the option to view the tour live or to watch the recording later.
All lesson plans are available to download, as well as registration for the Spring 2023 Virtual Farm Tours and access to recorded past tours at AmericanDairy.com under “Virtual Farm Tours.”
###
About American Dairy Association North East
American Dairy Association North East (ADA North East) is the dairy farmer-funded organization funded by participating dairy farmer’s checkoff investment to build demand and sales for milk and dairy foods throughout the local region. Representing nearly 9,000 dairy farm families in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and northern Virginia, ADA North East develops and implements local programs to drive milk and dairy sales at retail outlets and in schools. The organization also conducts consumer education about dairy through events, traditional and social media, and in collaboration with health professionals through National Dairy Council®. ADA North East works closely with Dairy Management Inc.™, the national dairy checkoff organization, to support nutrition research, national partnerships and developing export markets for dairy to bring a fully integrated promotion program to the region. For more information, visit www.AmericanDairy.com, or call 315.472.9143.
