Q&A with New York dairyman Skip Hardie, who was interviewed for an NBC "Nightly News" segment about the legislative "dairy cliff" that was threatening to raise the retail price of milk as high as $8 per gallon. Clips from Hardie's interview also aired on "The Today Show." Click here to view the NBC "Nightly News" video or here for "The Today Show" segment. Why did you consent to do the interview? I thought it was very important for consumers to hear a dairy farmer's viewpoint on this possible "dairy cliff."

Were you nervous before it? What did you do to prepare?
Yes, I was nervous about doing this interview. I have received media training from our local milk promotion organization and that helped a lot. I prepared by thinking about the points I wanted to make and then practiced in front of the mirror.

Have you done other interviews before? Please explain.
I have done other interviews prior to this interview. They were all for local issues like the price of milk or the drought. This was my first national interview. The fact that I had time to prepare helped a lot.

What was most odd or surprising to you about the reporter's visit/questions?
My biggest surprise was when I was called to do an interview Christmas Eve. I asked if it could be postponed until the morning of Dec. 26 and they said yes.

What was the most difficult question you had to answer? Why?
I knew that there would be very little of my interview aired on television and so I was very careful to continuously bridge any question to the points that I wanted to make.

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I had two points that I wanted to get across. No. 1 was to assure consumers that we dairy farmers didn't want this dairy cliff to happen either. My second was to put pressure on Congress to take care of this problem as soon as possible.

Click here to read Progressive Dairyman editor Walt Cooley's take on what going off the dairy cliff would have meant for producers.

Were you satisfied with the piece that they produced? If not, why and what could you have done to influence it otherwise?
I was satisfied with the piece. The two points I wanted to make came through pretty clearly.

Have you made any new connections or had any interesting experiences as a result of the story airing?
I learned just how many of my friends were watching NBC news the evening of Dec. 27. And how many more of them were watching "The Today Show" Dec. 28.

Overall, was it worthwhile to do the interview?
The fact that we now have an extension of the Farm Bill makes me feel good, like I might have played a small role in that happening.

What advice would you have for other dairy producers who may be doing interviews?
Always seek advice from your local milk promotion organization immediately. They are very knowledgeable and helpful.

Remember that you are in control. Don't be intimidated by lights and cameras. Always know exactly what you want to say and never deviate from your message. And remember you are representing our entire dairy farming community. PD