Consumers are continuously becoming more curious about their food, where it comes from, and how it impacts the environment. With Earth Day taking place on April 22nd, it’s an essential time to talk about dairy farmers’ commitment to sustainable farming practices and the new 2050 sustainability commitment made by the U.S. dairy industry.
What we’re doing locally:
- In Massachusetts and New Hampshire, we are partnering with dairy farmers interested in writing op-eds and blog posts. The op-eds/posts share each farmer’s sustainability commitments and will be published over the next few weeks.
- Peter Melnik of Bar-Way Farm (MA): The Truth About Cows and Greenhouse Gas Emissions
- Regina Grover of River-Maple Farm (MA): My Turn: For New England dairy farmers being green is nothing new
- In New Hampshire and Vermont, we are working with local reporters on story ideas focused on sustainability, stewardship, and the 2050 goals.
- In Massachusetts, sustainability efforts and practices will be highlighted through the MA Milk Moments Trail. This week specifically, dairy sustainability messaging will be broadcast on Boston’s 101.7 The Bull radio station, shown at four drive-in movie theatres on-screen, and displayed at our on-site Mobile Dairy Bar at the drive-in theatres.
- In Connecticut, we partnered with the local NBC station to run an integrated marketing campaign to reach millennial mom consumers during the month of April.
- The campaign, CT Dairy: Part of the Climate Change Solution, features TV ads during prime time viewing, digital ads on NBC CT’s website, an Instagram Takeover on NBC’s Instagram, and two segments during NBC’s daytime show, CT LIVE!.
- The first segment will feature UConn Animal Science Professor Dr. Steve Zinn and Extension Director Bonnie Burr.
- The second segment will feature Connecticut dairy farmer Amanda Freund.
- Both segments will air the week of Earth Day and highlight the various ways each dairy farm in Connecticut is part of the climate change solution, and why dairy farming is valuable for our local communities and economies. Visit our campaign landing page here.
- The campaign, CT Dairy: Part of the Climate Change Solution, features TV ads during prime time viewing, digital ads on NBC CT’s website, an Instagram Takeover on NBC’s Instagram, and two segments during NBC’s daytime show, CT LIVE!.
- We are hosting a Farm to Family Night virtual event on Earth Day April 22nd at 5 p.m. The event will feature cooking demos, a mini dairy farm tour with Connecticut dairy farmer Kies Orr, and dairy trivia with a physical activity break with New England Patriots player Chase Winovich
The New England Dairy Mobile Dairy Bar at a drive-in theatre this past fall.
Content to share on your own social media channels and with others:
- Share this New England Dairy Instagram post to your Instagram story or re-gram the post to your feed. If you are not on Instagram, you can share the Facebook version of the post. This post sets the record straight on dairy’s environmental impact and speaks to why dairy is an essential part of a sustainable food system.
- Share this Vox explainer video that breaks down dairy’s tie to renewable energy.
- Share this article that includes a 2nd Vox explainer video “Will Removing Dairy Cows Help Stop Climate Change?”. The content centers around the 2020 study that evaluated environmental and nutritional impacts if dairy cows were removed from the U.S.
- Share Frank Mitloehner’s “Cows and Climate” video series.
- Share and promote our Farm to Family Night virtual event taking place on Earth Day April 22nd at 5pm.
- Share these DIY crafts for kids that reuse plastic milk jugs and cardboard milk cartons. Access YouTube video here. Access PDF and JPG files to print here.
- Share these blogs:
- 3 Reasons to Include Dairy in a Plant-Based Diet
- On Earth Day Farmers Share Why Sustainable Food Matters
- Dairy Farms: Part of the Climate Solution written by MA dairy farmer Denise Barstow
What’s happening nationally:
Leading up to Earth Day on April 22nd and continuing into May, Dairy Management Inc. (DMI) will showcase tangible examples of real environmental progress being made on farms and throughout the dairy supply chain.
“At a time when the environment only continues to increase in importance with consumers, the great news is dairy has a solid story to tell that many people aren’t aware of,” said Marilyn Hershey, a Pennsylvania dairy farmer and chair of DMI. “We have made progress and we have made commitments and we continue to embrace new technologies that show how much we are dedicated to the health of the planet. Earth Day is dairy’s moment to shine.”
DMI will use its channels, including www.USDairy.com and its social media properties, to publish sustainability-related content, such as videos, articles, and infographics highlighting farmer stories.
At the regional level, New England Dairy will amplify DMI’s content about this industry-wide commitment. We will also share our own content and will showcase the amazing things our dairy farmers in New England are doing to protect the planet and to produce a sustainable and nutritious product.