November brought the Movember Dairy initiative to the foreground of the industry. Companies and individuals have hosted events and contests all month long to raise awareness and funds for men’s health issues using the noble moustache as their symbol. Movember is a worldwide movement that began in Australia in 2003. The group encourages men to grow a moustache during the month of November to promote awareness and raise funds for prostate and testicular cancer research. The group also raises awareness for mental health issues.

Melissa Miller

This year a group of 11 dairy-related companies formed the Movember Dairy coalition to bring these issues to the attention of the dairy industry.

The group was able to reach more than 10,000 producers through direct mailing. The group sent out a four-page flier to educate producers on the statistics and risks involved in the key health issues and to encourage them to schedule a screening.

The group also used social media to spread the word. In addition to the official Movember site, the group made their own Movember Dairy Facebook page. It received more than 850 likes during the month.

“My favorite part was seeing the movement grow and watching it become a truly social campaign where people were actively participating. It was a grassroots, community-led effort,” said Holly Harper, one of the main organizers for Movember Dairy.

The Facebook page allowed producers, bloggers and other members of the dairy industry to share stories and post pictures of their moustache tributes to this important cause.

Harper said, “There were some powerful, personal stories shared as well as a lot of support from the dairy community for this initiative. Everything was really positive and I hope we made a difference in some people’s lives this year.”

Animart, an industry company focusing on animal health and management, participated in Movember Dairy as a company by hosting a chili lunch with the entrance fees going to help fund research.

“The dairymen we work with spend everyday worrying about the health of their cattle and sometimes they overlook their health,” Animart employee Ashley Anderson said. “We really believe in helping our producers to take a step back and have their health in mind too.”

The company’s CEO, Dan Ellsworth, was persuaded to grow his facial hair to help promote the cause. The employees put in money as an incentive to grow his beard and if Ellsworth decided to shave before December 1, he would be required to match the company pot for the privilege. He made it all the way through the month.

Though Ellsworth admits that the beard sometimes woke him up at night itching, he was glad to grow it to support such a worthy cause.

“I thought it was a pretty cool idea and I was willing to put my face into it to contribute,” he said.

The company raised more than $500 by the end of the month.

Ellsworth said, “It’s easy to sit back and say, ‘I don’t like cancer’ but what really matters is our actions. This was one way we could take action, have fun and at the end of the day really make an impact.”

Other efforts in the dairy industry include Filament Marketing’s “Mo Tour” taking a six-foot moustache to various locations for photo ops to raise awareness of the initiative.

Movemeber Dairy was also featured in several industry publications and was even promoted in a radio public service announcement. The group was able to reach tens of thousands of producers through various mediums and raised more than $4,000.

“Movember Dairy brought together lots of companies in the agricultural sector,” Anderson said. “I think this year we really set the ground work so we can be even more successful next year raising awareness and money for research.”

Melissa Miller
Editorial Intern

Progressive Dairyman

PHOTOS
Animart CEO Dan Ellsworth grew facial hair for Movember Dairy. Pictured are before (BOTTOM) and after (TOP) photos of his effort. Photos courtesy of Animart.