The dairy checkoff is a national initiative that promotes dairy products, funds research, and provides nutrition education.
Since 1983, the dairy checkoff has been funded by dairy importers and dairy farmers. Dairy importers contribute 7.5 cents for every hundred-weight of milk imported, while dairy farmers contribute 15 cents for every hundred-weight of milk sold. Ten cents of this investment is used for local dairy promotion through organizations like New England Dairy, and five cents supports dairy promotion both domestically and abroad through your national dairy checkoff organization, Dairy Management Inc. (DMI).
The most recent USDA Report to Congress on dairy checkoff showed that for every $1 invested in fluid milk promotion, $1.63 was generated. That number increases for butter and cheese.
The dairy checkoff program is managed by the National Dairy Promotion and Research Board, which consists of 36 dairy farmers from across the United States.
