New Guidelines encourage 3 servings of Dairy each day!

This week the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the new 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA). As a dairy producer I have been following this issue closely.  We produce a safe and wholesome product full of vital nutrients for consumers.  Milk has calcium for bones, protein for muscles, Vitamins A & D, as well as magnesium, potassium, and phosphorous.  We have always encouraged consumers to enjoy 3 daily servings of dairy and it turns out we were right on track!

 

Unfortunately Americans coming up short on their calcium consumption.  Currently, Americans are consuming about two dairy servings per day on average. Adding just one more serving of dairy each day can fill some of America’s major nutrient gaps. Very few foods deliver dairy’s powerhouse of nutrients in such an affordable, appealing and readily available way. 

• Have you tried a delicious chocolate milk after a hard workout?  Protein and calcium contained in milk help contribute to weight loss, while increasing lean muscle mass. 
• Try a drinkable yogurt for breakfast for a boost of dairy combined with probiotics for digestive health.
• How about a low fat mozzarella cheese stick for a quick but filling snack for mid-day?
• Just an 8 ounce glass of milk with your supper can help fill your 3rd serving each day!
• New changes in dairy products offer even more healthy options!
• Cheeses with lower sodium and fat levels.
• Flavored milk with less added sugar -- that can help Americans meet the 2010 DGA recommendations without compromising on taste!

· Curious for more information?  Check out the National Dairy Council's website for more information on the health benefits of dairy. 

Through NDC, dairy farmers have supported child nutrition research, education and communication in their communities and schools for nearly a century.  Dairy has been committed to children’s health for years.  In 2009 we launched a joint effort with the National Football League, called Fuel Up to Play 60 (FUTP60) , that aims to help improve children’s health by bringing healthy eating education and physical activities to more than 70,000 schools.  FUTP60 promotes good nutrition – including low-fat and fat-free dairy – and physical fitness in our nation’s schools to help defeat childhood obesity by allowing students to take the lead in choosing the changes they want to make, including access to healthier food and getting active with physical activity every day.  First Lady Michelle Obama has also signed on with this exciting program!

Looking for more information, please see the links below!

 

 Links to feature:

 

· Dairy Industry Joint Statement
www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-federal-dietary-guidelines-call-for-americans-to-increase-their-consumption-of-low-fat-and-fat-free-dairy-foods-114954924.html

 

· Federal Government DGA Info
http://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/

 

· USAToday.com: “New U.S. Diet Guidelines Urge Less Salt, More Dairy”
http://yourlife.usatoday.com/fitness-food/diet-nutrition/story/2011/01/Guidelines-urge-Americans-to-clean-up-their-diets/43092924/1

 

We encourage you to follow the new National Dairy Council (NDC) Twitter (http://twitter.com/#!/NtlDairyCouncil/following) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/home.php#!/nationaldairycouncil ) properties and share the latest news on dairy nutrients with your followers. You can also:

 

DMI is Farmer Funded NOT Government Funded!

Well, looks like they've done it again! Yet again, the major media sources (this time newspapers) have decided to run a story without checking all of the facts!  This time, while it's not a direct attack on dairy farmers, it is an attack on our promotion group, Dairy Management Inc (DMI).  DMI is under fire for promoting the consumption of cheese in partnership with Domino's. If you would like to see all of the misinformation corrected, please check out Year of Plenty Blog, where the truth is reported.  I am instead going to talk about the most important "false" fact of the news story: DMI is NOT funded by tax payer dollars, but instead by hard working dairy farmers like us!

As a dairy farmer, we proudly pay $.15 per every 100 pounds of milk that we sell for the Dairy CheckOff.  With 100 cows, averaging 85 pounds each day, 365 days a year, we produce about 3 million pounds of milk, thereby contributing over $4600 each year to national and local advertising, research, promotion, and nutrition education.  About 1/3 of this goes to national (DMI) and about 2/3's stays local (Midwest Dairy Association).  We are confident that our money is being spent carefully, because each of these organizations are managed by boards composed of dairy farmers, elected by dairy farmers.  Each year, area dairy farmers volunteer their time to work (for those of us who don't have the time) developing and approving new ideas.  These boards and organizations are also responsible for making partnerships with restaurants, schools and even the NFL!  Recently, DMI partnered with the NFL to develop Fuel Up to Play 60....a program that targets childhood obesity through nutrition education (yes, diets rich in low fat dairy products!) and physical activity. 

DMI supports nutrition, health and wellness with over 50% of their annual budget.  Research is being done at various universities across the country innovating new products to promote wellness.  I remember while at SDSU, 5 years ago, research was being done on making low fat cheese more taste appealing (obviously fat in cheese helps give its flavor, and as an industry we are working to improve the flavor of low fat cheese as an alternative for consumers).  Research is also being done to improve sustainability on dairy farms just like ours, through management practices.  Some of the local funds also support the Minnesota Dairy Princess Program....Princess Kay of the Milky Way; Not tax payers, but dairy farmers, funding all of these excellent projects.

DMI is a source of pride on our farm.  As a farmer, we are also busy working to care for our cows and land, leaving little time in the day for promotion....that's where DMI steps in to fill that void!  We appreciate their efforts on all fronts involving dairy.  As a local dairy princess coordinator, I am greatly appreciative of funds to help educate kids and adults about dairy farming and products.  But, yet again, DMI is funded by the dairy check off...not taxes.  So....tax payers can rest easy, your money isn't funding DMI, dairy farmers are funding DMI!