PHILADELPHIA – Producers’ investment in the dairy checkoff is being maximized through their partnership with General Mills Foodservice by offering school grants designed to enhance breakfast programs.
Schools enrolled in the checkoff-funded Fuel Up to Play 60 program are eligible for a “Fuel Up Breakfast Grant” that can be used to create options such as “breakfast in the classroom,” “grab ‘n’ go breakfast from a cart” and “second-chance breakfast after first period.” These innovative efforts are designed to increase consumption of dairy and other nutritious foods.
A total of $50,000 is available to schools for the 2012-13 year. More than $260,000 has been distributed to 100-plus schools through the Fuel Up Breakfast Grant program, now in its fourth year. Breakfast participation increased 94 percent, according to schools that received grants last year. These schools utilized innovative breakfast options that ensure more dairy is available to students.
“This is another example of a partner making a significant investment that helps extend the checkoff investment and is going against the same goals – getting more dairy offered in schools every day,” said Vernon Horst, Pennsylvania dairy farmer and chairman of the Mid-Atlantic Dairy Association board of directors.
Schools remain an ideal place to build lifelong dairy consumers. More than 2 billion breakfasts and 5 billion lunches are served in schools each year to 55 million students. This is why producers funded Fuel Up to Play 60, which is in more than 70,000 U.S. schools. Producers and partners collectively award millions of dollars in grants annually to fund FUTP 60 and grow programs that are focused on increasing dairy consumption.
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 www.dairyspot.com.
Source: Mid-Atlantic Dairy Association