One key to the future success of milk sales for America’s dairy farmers is the future of America’s youth – the millions of students who attend schools 180-some days a year. The dairy promotion checkoff is very active in increasing access to great dairy products in schools, helping those kids become lifelong dairy consumers.

Dairy promotion has been in schools for decades – beginning with the formation of National Dairy Council in 1915 – teaching nutrition and promoting milk and cheese in cafeterias across the country. Milk is still the only food mandated to be offered on the school lunch line, which is an extremely important venue for dairy.

In 2009, at the direction of dairy farmers, to help keep dairy relevant and even more desirable to tomorrow’s consumers, the checkoff through National Dairy Council developed Fuel Up to Play 60 (FUTP 60), a partnership with the National Football League, with support from the USDA.

Through the checkoff’s state and regional promotion organizations, FUTP 60 has worked closely with 73,000-plus schools, reaching more than 38 million students and thousands of adult advisers since the program’s launch.

The program empowers students to make healthy changes in schools, including access to nutritious foods (including dairy) and more physical activity through the “playbook” FUTP 60 provides to the schools. Partner organizations have invested more than $52 million to make this program a success and move more dairy.

The FUTP 60 in-school program has been a tremendous success over the last eight years, with 13 million kids eating healthier and 15 million moving more every year. That’s great for dairy and great for dairy’s future.

What’s new for the 2017-2018 school year? An improved playbook, greater incentives and strong campaigns, among many other upgrades:

• The 2017-2018 playbook is bigger and better than ever. New this year:
  
  
  • An enhanced “Farm to School” play that shows students where their food comes from shines a light on dairy farmers as good stewards of the land and their animals and highlights careers in agriculture.
    
    
  • A new “Food: Waste Less and Enjoy!” play emphasizes reduction of food waste while increasing consumption of nutritious dairy.
    
    
• This school year, we’ll provide enhanced incentives to get more students involved and keep them active, which moves more dairy and helps build lifelong consumers.
  
  
• Three strong campaigns will call students to action:
  
  
  • Kick Off FUTP 60 Campaign (August-October), where students and educators are encouraged to host a FUTP 60 kick-off event at their school to build excitement and activation of the program
    
    
  • “Celebrate Healthy Eating” Campaign (January – March) with an emphasis on the importance of eating school breakfast (including dairy) as an important part of healthy eating; this will run in conjunction with National School Breakfast Week and National Nutrition Month
    
    
  • “Thank You” Campaign (April – June) encourages students and educators to share their success stories on the FUTP 60 website for a chance to be recognized nationally and win prizes.

There’s no better way to understand the power of FUTP 60 than to attend a local school event. You can find your local promotion organization to learn how online (Dairy Management Inc).

Building lifelong dairy lovers among youth helps protect dairy farmers’ license to operate and grow the overall dairy business. That’s how dairy farmers planned it.

We look forward to sharing more exciting news about advances in dairy promotion through your checkoff. In the meantime, if you have thoughts or questions, please contact us directly through Talk To The Checkoff - Dairy Management Inc. we want to hear from you.  

Local Spotlight

Your local promotion staff has been hard at working getting ready for classes this fall. Here are some highlights of what we can expect:

Dairy Farmers of Washington

The focus of FUTP 60 in Washington is to increase dairy sales and highlight local dairy farmers. The nutrition elements of FUTP 60 are linked with a four-week breakfast promotion program run by FUTP 60 student teams. Students are given raffle tickets for attending breakfast and for choosing a dairy-rich entrée.

Prizes are provided for weekly drawings. Milk sales increased 7 percent and yogurt 49 percent last school year. Also, local farmers are engaged in end-of-the-year events.

Oregon Dairy and Nutrition Council

In addition to grants, assemblies and events that bolster school nutrition and wellness, Oregon FUTP 60 is promoting smoothies for healthy student and staff celebrations. One grant-funded school recently reported kids are now making smoothies at home with their families for healthy snacks and breakfasts. It’s something to build on in 2017-2018 as one of many ways the positive reach of the program extends beyond the school.

American Dairy Association North East

Nearly 1,000 youth from American Dairy Association North East territory learned about the importance of healthy eating and physical activity through FUTP 60 school events this spring. Touchdown Rewards Clinics recognized the most active schools; events took place at partnering National Football League teams’ stadiums or training facilities with dairy farmers on-site.

This fall, program advisers and students will receive FUTP 60 Back-to-School Starter Kits, and the Touchdown Rewards incentives will continue.

Arizona Milk Producers

FUTP 60 in Arizona is ready for another exciting year of empowering students to make healthy lifestyle changes through nutrition choices and increased physical activity. This year’s calendar of events includes monthly contests encouraging schools to share not only how students are choosing healthy, nutritious foods (including dairy) and being active, but inspiring others to do so as well. And, of course, there will be several events that feature dairy farms, football and fun.

United Dairy Industry of Michigan

In October, 35 schools from around Michigan will participate in a full day of fun, learning and movement at the FUTP 60 Rally for School Health at Ford Field (home of the Detroit Lions). Students and adults will be inspired by special guests such as current and former Detroit Lions players and proud Michigan dairy farmers.

Students will learn firsthand how to be role models in leading physical activity and healthy eating activities not only in school but for life.

PHOTO: A Washington FUTP 60 student knows dairy is key to eating well – and doing well – in school. Photo courtesy of DMI.

Your Dairy Checkoff in Action – The following update is provided by Dairy Management Inc. (DMI), which manages the national dairy checkoff program on behalf of America’s dairy producers and dairy importers. DMI is the domestic and international planning and management organization responsible for increasing sales of and demand for dairy products and ingredients.