Milk Marketing

April 9, 2012

Milk marketing functions to help the producer market its product to its consumers without benefiting one farmer over another.  This is important because milk is a commodity and efforts by the individual won't have a significant effect on the market.  These programs help to advertise the nutritional benefits of including dairy in the diet.  It also helps to contribute to the trust in consumers that their dairy products are safe and nutritious and being produced with the utmost care for the animals and the environment.  While many people's habits aren't likely to be changed from the efforts of a milk marketing board, they take some of the hardship away from the farmer.  They are able to communicate and educate consumers so the producers can get their message to the public without losing focus of the farm tasks.

Milk marketing boards spend a lot of their effort teaching consumers how to best utilize their products, but they also spend a lot of time and money on educating youth.  They create programs to help children understand nutrition and from where their food comes.  Their ultimate goal is to help bridge the gap between farmer and consumer in hopes that they will be able to understand and help meet the needs of the other.

I researched Ireland's comparable milk marketing groups and found that they function very similarly to ones that I am familiar with.  One in particular, The National Dairy Council serves nearly identical functions as those in the United States.  One minute on their website and I immediately noticed links to recipes and educational materials, as well as, links to information from health professionals.

Please take a minute to explore The National Dairy Council's website and a Mid-Atlantic Region dairy marketer:
 http://dairyspot.com/
http://www.ndc.ie/

I think these programs are really beneficial, and that's why I would like to spend time in my future career helping producers communicate better with their consumers.

Citations:

The National Dairy Council. (2012).  Retrieved April 9, 2012, from http://www.ndc.ie/

The Mid-Atlantic Spot for Dairy. (2011).  Retrieved April 9, 2012, from www.dairyspot.com