The information below has been supplied by dairy marketers and other industry organizations. It has not been edited, verified or endorsed by Hoard’s Dairyman.

Consumers are tuning in to hear local dairy farmers’ stories on American Dairy Association North East’s new documentary-style video series called, “This American Dairy Farmer,” which airs Saturdays at 10 a.m., on ADA North East’s Facebook page. The first six episodes have already garnered nearly 660,000 views and are helping consumers make a personal connection with those who produce their food.

Each two-part story profiles a dairy farmer from ADA North East’s six-state region, offering a behind-the-scenes look at their families and farm heritage, and why they are so passionate about dairy farming. New episodes of This American Dairy Farmer episodes will air every two weeks through August.

Featured to-date are Pennsylvania Dairy Promotion Program board member Marie Canon from Canon Dairy Farm in West Middlesex, Pa.; Mark and Sara Murray from Murcrest Farm in Copenhagen, N.Y.; and Yvette Longenecker from Penn-England LLC, in Williamsburg, Pa. Upcoming features include Coon Brothers Dairy in Amenia, N.Y., and Palmyra Farm in Hagerstown, Md.

“We want to remind consumers that dairy farmers are people just like them – we raise our children, we’re involved in the community, we have hobbies and interests – and we just also happen to milk cows for a living,” said Canon. “Making that human connection and showing first-hand how much we love the cows and the land, will continue to grow trust in us and the products we produce.”

This American Dairy Farmer was inspired by ADA North East’s “Fun on the Farm” video series featuring local farm families that was developed and shared on social media early in the 2020 pandemic. Consumers were craving consistent content to educate and entertain families while they were at home, and Fun on the Farm met that need with weekly 10-minute pre-recorded videos. Audiences watched and interacted with each farmer host and the series generated 3.5 million views.

“We learned from the viewers with Fun on the Farm that adults were watching along with their kids at home, so to capitalize on that, we decided to launch the new series that would appeal to them,” said ADA North East CEO Rick Naczi. “Since adults make most of the food purchasing decisions in the home, it’s critical that they trust their food sources and there’s no better way to build that trust than by dairy farmers telling their own stories.”

For more information about This American Dairy Farmer, contact ADA North East Industry Relations Specialist Cara Itle at ctrotter@milk4u.org.