Ididn’t always pay much attention to the role promotion plays in advancing our industry. My expertise as a dairy farmer is focused on caring for our animals and managing our business operations. Thinking about how the cheese made from our cows’ milk is marketed or what our promotion group was working on wasn’t at the top of my ever-growing to-do list.
But serving on the Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin board has opened my eyes to the power of promotion to put our dairy products at the center of the table for families around the world. Seeing partnerships in action has helped me appreciate the full spectrum of checkoff-program initiatives. I recognize how the stories of farmers like me fit into the big picture – and I’m excited to share what I’ve learned about the value our dairy checkoff generates.
Demand turns into dollars
Total dairy consumption has increased since 1983, when dairy farmers voted in favor of a milk-marketing order and created the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board. Now operating as Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin, the marketing board was created to build awareness and demand for Wisconsin-dairy-farmer milk. Since then 15 cents of every 100 pounds of milk has been directed to state and national dairy-industry promotion. The professional efforts of Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin staff are an often-unseen extension of the teamwork it takes to put our products on shelves. Wisconsin cheese can now be found in 99 percent of grocery stores nationwide and in 140 countries.
As a next-generation farmer who started after the checkoff program was already in place, I’ve taken for granted the impact it’s had on product innovation and building Wisconsin-cheese identity during the past 40 years. Consumer consumption of cheese doubled during that time and butter recently reached a 50-year record. New-product development funded through checkoff dollars has spurred innovation and increased specialty sales. Keeping dairy perceptions positive has helped us weather economic challenges. Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin messaging around sustainable solutions positions us for the future.
Messages reach valuable audiences
Sharing the story of Wisconsin milk happens through strategic initiatives to cultivate a wide variety of partners. As a Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin board member, I’ve gained a front-row seat to programs designed to strengthen relationships with bulk buyers and individual consumers.
More than 4,650 Wisconsin dairy products now carry a “Proudly Wisconsin” badge, developed by Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin and considered an indicator of quality in the marketplace. Consumers are encouraged to look for that label through in-store demonstrations, digital ads, in-store sales materials, and earned and free media via public relations. Storytelling helps shoppers understand they’re supporting real farm families like mine. Retail-grocery-store programs such as “Cheese is Our Love Language” in February, “Wonders of Wisconsin” in May and “The More the Merrier” holiday-sales promotion generate lifts in sales throughout the year on a national scale – in tens of thousands of stores reaching millions of cheese-buying shoppers.
The groundwork laid by the Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin team helps position Wisconsin producers as suppliers of choice within the food industry. New-product development and joint promotions with restaurant chains such as Culver’s and Domino’s open incredible opportunities for Wisconsin dairy products. Sponsored content with trusted gourmet-food media outlets such as Food52 and SAVEUR help promote the “Wisconsin Cheese” brand.
Promotion grows positive connections
Checkoff promotion doesn’t just drive global business; it also encourages dairy-industry connections in our communities. The “Adopt a Cow” school program has engaged 60,000 students in following a day in the life of a real dairy calf. “Breakfast on the Farm” events attract grassroots groups during National Dairy Month. Proactive outreach builds trust and grows demand.
Even if marketing isn’t at the top of our to-do lists, we each have our own role to play in supporting checkoff efforts. By sending cheese sticks as snacks to my kids’ sporting events, I’m sending a message about the nutritional benefits of dairy. Thanking a mom who’s loading gallons of milk into her grocery cart opens the door to rewarding conversations. Sharing my story connects a commodity to a family farm.
I try to do my part in promotion and I’m paying much more attention to the big picture. Thanks to the dairy checkoff, we have a dedicated team working to move Wisconsin milk and tirelessly advocating for our industry – and I’m so grateful!
Visit WisconsinDairy.org for more information.
