Building Confidence in Dairy

Building Confidence in Dairy. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Line On Agriculture.

To be successful in growing demand for dairy, one factor is critical: maintaining and growing consumer confidence … for dairy products, for dairy farmers and the dairy industry. That’s why the dairy industry, through the leadership of the dairy checkoff, has launched an unprecedented industry-wide effort aimed at engaging consumers and building consumer confidence in dairy. The Dairy Checkoff and the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy have announced an industry-wide initiative to help build advocates for dairy, according to Tom Gallagher, CEO of Dairy Management Inc., which manages the National Dairy Checkoff.

GALLAGHER: The issue really surrounds consumer confidence. And really trying to create stronger dairy advocates among thought leaders and consumers by better connecting them to how food is produced, to the dairy industry, to our products.

Gallagher says by increasing support for dairy from the farm all the way through the production and marketing chain, consumers will be more likely to buy dairy. Steve Graybeal, a Pennsylvania dairy farmer, says reaching leaders, such as dietitians and the news media, with the positive story of dairy is critical.?
GRAYBEAL: So if we can influence the thought leaders, or at least have an impact on the thought leaders, what we hope to do over a period of time is -- those thought leaders do bring our message out, which is a great message, and one that we believe in. We know they will believe in, once they learn the facts and pass that on.

Another way the checkoff is building partnerships is engaging credible third-parties to tell dairy’s story among other key audiences. This includes a three-way partnership among dairy, Feeding America and the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics to find solutions that will help fight hunger in the United States and promote healthy food choices, including nutrient-rich dairy.

GALLAGHER: We have an industry from farm through production all the way to the consumer, a very exciting story to tell. And the best way for us to tell it, first and foremost is to have our credible third parties help tell that story, so that they're engaged with the consumer on our behalf.

Gallagher says these third-parties will help advocate for dairy by being authentic and relevant to consumers.

That’s today’s Line On Agriculture. I’m Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network.