June Dairy Month was all about celebrating dairy and sharing the industry with the public. It served as a great opportunity for the industry to reach out and let consumers know where their food comes from and the work that goes into producing it. One infographic created by the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy also did its part in spreading awareness of the importance of the industry during June.
The infographic titled “ How one cow contributes to a sustainable food system ” shares facts about the industry in a simple, visually appealing way. The graphic was printed in the May 1, 2013 issue of Progressive Dairyman .
More recently, the image received a good share of attention on Facebook during June, reaching more than 20,000 people.
Several people not only viewed the graphic but also plan to use it to further their own consumer education efforts.
Kim Bremmer, a dairy nutritionist and a member of Wisconsin Women for Agriculture, saw the graphic on Facebook and decided to incorporate it into the Food for America presentations she hosts for fourth-graders from several school districts, taking the opportunity to educate students, teachers and chaperons alike about the power of dairy.
Bremmer said, “I think it is more important than ever that as an industry we make every effort possible to educate consumers. This is our biggest challenge as people become farther removed from production education. People want to know that what they are eating is safe, affordable and quality food.”
The graphic was also displayed at the Wisconsin Women for Agriculture booth at the Jackson County dairy breakfast and the Loyal FFA dairy breakfast.
Lorna Wilson is also using this infographic as she speaks up for dairy. Wilson is the coordinator for the Agricultural Awareness tent for her local fair in Ontario, Canada.
Wilson saw the graphic on a friend’s Facebook page and immediately thought of the Ag Awareness tent. She plans on displaying the graphic for the approximately 8,000 people who visit the tent during the week of the fair as well as the 325 school children who receive a guided tour.
Wilson believes that education will help dispel the myths and untruths that abound in the consumer world. This in turn will promote the industry and those who work in it and increase the bottom line.
“As only 2 percent of the population who actively farms, it is imperative that we keep educating the remaining 98 percent about where their food comes from,” said Wilson.
Consumer education concerns more than public relations representatives. As each member of the dairy industry reaches out to tell the real story of the industry, the collective impact will grow to create positive change. It can be as simple as liking an infographic on Facebook or putting a picture in a tent.
Bremmer said, “We in agriculture can make an impact if we just reach one person at a time. Too often we feel like it’s too big of a job, we don’t feel like we know the exact statistics to recite or we’re too intimidated by the confidence of the anti-agriculture message. But we can make a difference if we speak up.” PD
Melissa Miller
Editorial Intern
Progressive Publishing
