As champions of healthy living, providing nutrition and playing an active role in our communities, our mission is to see no hurdle exists that might hinder this passion for the game. We want to see more goals met, more greatness realized and the benefits of sport universally enjoyed.
The initiative
Early April, DFC launched a new initiative entitled “Fuelling Women Champions,” a unique cause promoting the advancement of women in sport.
Today, more than ever, women are making healthier choices for their families. As local community leaders, Canadian dairy farmers are committed to producing high-quality milk for families and supporting causes and programs that promote healthy living.
- According to 95 percent of moms, building healthy eating habits when children are young sets them up for a healthy future.
- Most Canadian mothers are solely responsible for planning meals for their families.
In recent years, Canada’s female athletes and teams have experienced unparalleled success on the global stage. Captivated by these performances, DFC started thinking about how they could contribute to these successes on behalf of all Canadian dairy farmers.
Several analyses led to the conclusion that women’s sports are undersponsored compared to men’s. DFC therefore decided to change things by carving out a unique niche for themselves on the Canadian market with the purpose of encouraging women to achieve their goals.
This initiative is a natural choice for dairy farmers, as it represents an exceptional opportunity to remind women of the relationship between dairy consumption, health and a wholesome lifestyle.
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In 2013, only 4.8 percent of Canadian sponsors indicated that women were the primary target market for their sponsorships (Canadian Sponsorship Landscape Study).
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Of all sponsorship dollars in the sports industry, 99.6 percent go to male sports (Women’s Sport and Fitness Foundation).
- Women receive only 2 to 4 percent of sports coverage despite making up 40 percent of athletes across all levels of sport.
By establishing the Fuelling Women Champions movement, Canadian dairy farmers are committed to helping women succeed and advance in sport while encouraging a healthy and active lifestyle in which dairy products play a role.
Several organizations and high-level athletes have agreed to be partners and ambassadors of this movement and help dairy farmers in supporting this cause.
- Canadian Women’s Hockey League
- Rugby Canada
- Swimming Canada
- CAAWS
- Natalie Spooner, ice hockey, gold medalist at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Games
- Desiree Scott, soccer, key player for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2015
- Kaillie Humphries, bobsleigh, medalist at the 2008 World Championships, at the 2010 World Cup and at the Whistler 2010 Winter Olympic Games
- Chantal Petitclerc, Paralympic and Olympic medalist in wheelchair racing
- Jennifer Jones, curling, gold medalist at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Games
2015: Year of Sport and major sporting events
His Excellency, The Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, proclaimed 2015 the “Year of Sport in Canada.” Because women’s sports are too often overshadowed by men’s sports, female athletes don’t receive all the attention they deserve.
The launch of the Fuelling Women Champions movement will increase their visibility and gather support from the public, partners and various stakeholders.
This year, numerous regional and local sporting events will take place in every province to encourage dairy farmers from across the country to promote sport in their region and to get involved.
Visit the website for more information. Follow the initiative on Twitter and Instagram. PD
Dairy Farmers of Canada is the national policy, lobbying and promotional organization representing Canadian dairy farmers. It works to maintain policies that foster the viability and sustainability of Canadian dairy farms and promote Canadian dairy products and their health benefits through advertising, contests, partnerships, media relations and nutrition programs.
