Building Consumer Trust in Dairy Across the Region

Preliminary Data from 22 Schools Shows an Increase of 13% in Milk Sales

Dairy Farmer Ned Ellis of Mapleleaf Farm in Hebron, CT at Rockville High School's hot chocolate milk celebration

In 2019, New England Dairy funded 77 schools with grants to start hot chocolate milk programs. This has been a helpful way to take advantage of the USDA flexibility that allows schools to serve 1% flavored milk. Grant funding supports one to two machines to heat and serve chocolate milk as well as marketing supporting, including signage.  Preliminary data from 22 of the granted schools shows an increase of 13 percent in milk sales. On January 31, we celebrated National Hot Chocolate Day in two New England schools. Students at Williston Central School in Williston, VT and Rockville High School in Vernon, CT enjoyed hot chocolate milk for breakfast and dairy trivia hosted by their local dairy farmers (Ned Ellis from Hebron, CT, and Alison Conant from Richmond, VT).

Listen to Alison Conant Talk about Why She Participates in Check-off Events

Celebrating Real Milk with Latte Love On February 8 we held an event called “Latte Love for Real Milk” at Ogawa Coffee, a popular coffee shop in downtown Boston. The event's purpose was to r einforce with influencers that real milk is the best choice in coffee drinks when it comes to taste, nutrition and sustainability in place of plant-based beverages.

We invited 8 social media influencers from throughout New England to take a latte art making class. Influencers heard from a professional barista who spoke about the science behind why dairy milk, specifically whole milk, is best for making lattes and cappucinos. They also had their dairy questions answered by a New England Dairy registered dietitian and Massachusetts dairy farmer Nicole Fletcher. We partner with influencers to effectively reach our target, skeptical consumers (age 18-35) through social media channels. Early results show that dairy nutrition and sustainability content from the influencers and coffee shop will reach ~50,000 people.

Hear from Nicole Fletcher about her Experience at the Event

URI Athletes Fueling with Chocolate Milk We continue to collaborate with the University of Rhode Island (URI) through a pilot program to promote milk as a recovery beverage. Approximately 300 varsity athletes have access to milk 4 times/week in a New England Dairy-branded cooler located in their recovery room. Between 950-1400 half pints of milk are consumed weekly. Milk consumption has increased by one more milk per student per day since the cooler was installed. Athletes are also receiving dairy centered education and cooking classes. URI’s sports dietitian has ensured that students understand why dairy is an essential part of a balanced diet for athletes.

NED Nutrition Specialist Hilary Walentuk with URI's Sports Dietician at the milk cooler

Productive Conversations Farmer Workshop

When: Thursday, March 26, 2020 10:00am-2:00pm Where: Tolland County Agricultural Center (TAC) 24 Hyde Ave, Vernon, CT 06066 Join us at the upcoming "Productive Conversations" farmer workshop to learn how to lead positive conversations about the tough issues surrounding our industry, with a specific focus on water quality and the environment. The workshop is FREE and will train you to get your point across when communicating in person, in a town hall setting, online or when speaking to a reporter. RSVP through the Facebook event or by emailing your name, farm name, and number attending to Annalise Kieley . Lunch included!

Half of Fluid Milk Category Showing Growth

In partnership with New England Dairy, Adam Landau, Senior Vice President of Marketing Partnerships at Dairy Management, Inc (DMI), spoke with over 200 dairy farmers and industry members about fluid milk sales, innovation, and partnerships at the Dairy Farmer Appreciation Banquet at the Vermont Farm Show on Thursday January 23. Landau explained that about half of the milk category is showing sustained, long-term growth. In 2019, whole milk sales in New England were up 1.4 percent, representing 40 percent of white milk sales in the region. Read more about Landau's presentation here or watch the video at the link below.

Watch Adam Landau's Presentation About Fluid Milk Innovation

New Resources to Share with your Local Schools

To complement our dairy sales work in New England schools, we've created new resources to help teachers incorporate dairy education into the classroom. This includes curriculum tip sheets and dairy farm scavenger hunts that can be used during farm tours. Please share these resources with your local teachers! Dairy Farm Scavenger Hunt From Cow to You Tip Sheet Moo IQ Tip Sheet 360-Degree Virtual Farm Tour Tip Sheet

In the News: January and February Stories We've Been Part of on Your Behalf

My Champlain Valley Where it All Began: Celebrating National Milk Day at Monument Farms NBC Connecticut: Celebrating National Milk Day Valley News: No-Till Seeder a Boon for All My Champlain Valley: Williston Central School Uses Hot Chocolate to Get Kids Drinking More Milk

My Champlain Valley: Farm Bankruptcies in the U.S. Up 20% Last Year Communications Specialist Rene Thibault offers advice on how consumers can support their local dairy farmers CT Post: Yogurt, Salad Bars Become Part of Menu in Bridgeport Elementary Schools News 12 CT: Bridgeport Schools Expand Student Meal Options WCAX TV Across the Fence: Preview of VT Dairy Producers Conference

On the Blog

National Milk Day Delicious Recipes for Soup Season Five "Super" Bowls for a Winning Super Bowl Party

Best Hot Chocolate Destinations in New England Dairy: For One School, It's More Than a Menu Item We Heart Healthy Dairy

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