June is National Dairy Month, and farmer cooperatives Dairylea Cooperative Inc. and Dairy Farmers of America, Inc. are saluting its farmer members with community-based activities all month. What are you doing to celebrate June Dairy Month? Tell us!
As part of these events, on June 10, representatives from the two milk marketing cooperatives, Dairylea and DFA will bring a “dairy tour” to second graders at Cicero Elementary School. Starting at 9 a.m., staff members will provide students with a bird’s eye view of milk’s journey from cow to the grocery store shelf, educating them on the importance of dairy in their diet. The day will be capped off with a dairy party for the entire grade, allowing students to sample nutritious and delicious dairy products and celebrate with the famous dancing cow, Bessylea!
“This is the seventh consecutive year we’ve brought the dairy tour to Cicero Elementary,” said Karen Cartier, Vice President of Communications for Dairylea and DFA’s Northeast Area. “We’re continuing a tradition that brings together children, their parents, educators, and the dairy community to recognize the importance of dairy in a healthy diet.”
To help make this a fun learning experience for kids of all ages, an informational website, is available, which shares the positive health benefits and the nutritional role that milk and dairy products play in a balanced diet. It also provides links to fun activities for home or school use. The site is narrated by Bessylea, a cow character with a great story to tell.
Another major event during Dairy Month is “Dip Into Dairy” on Monday, June 27. This inaugural event is open to the public from 4-8 p.m., held at the Dairylea/DFA offices in East Syracuse. The event is designed to attract children, their parents and dairy consumers outside of the agricultural community in the Syracuse vicinity. Everyone’s invited to explore milk’s journey with Bessylea as she informs and promotes the value of dairy in our community.
“We’re really excited to bring Dip Into Dairy to the area this year,” said Cartier. “One of the key points we’re emphasizing is that dairy is an essential part of a healthy diet. Also, with the hands on activities we have planned, we can help children and their parents have a better understanding of where milk comes from and show them what a day in the life of a dairy farmer looks like.
Source: Dairylea Cooperative Inc. and Dairy Farmers of America, Inc.