Dairy Farmers of America

"Liberty is the breath of life to nations." — George Bernard Shaw This Independence Day, we celebrate the dedication and hard work of our farmer-owners and employees who breathe life into our communities every day. From our family to yours, Happy 4th of July!

Tomorrow, we celebrate America’s #IndependenceDay, but today we’re cherishing the simple summer moments on the farm. Our farmer-owners and their families enjoy being with their cows, watching their kids chase fireflies and evenings filled with laughter. These are the heartwarming scenes that remind us of the joy in our hard work. Here's to a summer filled with dedication and easy memories.

We’re #DFAProud of another fantastic #NationalDairyMonth celebrating with our hardworking farmer-owners and our amazing DFA employees! Here's a look at some of the highlights of how we made a difference in the places we live and work: 🥛 DFA Cares in Action: DFA Cares donated 11,000 gallons of milk to over 150 food banks chosen by our farmer-owners across the country, making a huge difference to those in need. 🎟️ Kansas City Raffle: Our headquarters in Kansas City, Kan., raised over $6,000 for the DFA Cares Foundation through a fun raffle. 🐄 MooFest Fun: Mayfield Dairy Farms® participated in MooFest in Athens, Tenn., hosting games, giving away ice cream, selling t-shirts, and entertaining the crowd with their mascot, Maggie the Cow. 🤝 Garelick Farms Volunteers: Employees in Franklin, Mass., volunteered at a local food pantry, offering ongoing support through food drives and hands-on help. ⚾ TruMoo Chocolate Milk Samples: The team at Dean’s® Dairy in Sharpsville, Pa., handed out 400 samples of TruMoo® at an Akron Rubber Ducks baseball game. Additionally, DFA employees enjoyed ice cream, milk and other dairy snacks at various locations. Thank you for your passion and dedication. Let’s keep showcasing the goodness of dairy together!

Our Southeastern Area Young Cooperators (YCs) recently got a chance to see how their milk is transformed into high-quality dairy products with an eye toward the future at our Ingredient Solutions Innovation Center and our Beverage and Dairy Foods bottling plant — both in Springfield, Mo. The YCs were able to appreciate how the Innovation Center connects with the plants. At the Innovation Center, they sampled a protein shake formulated by DFA food scientists and then watched the bottling process for the same product — along with other shelf-stable and extended shelf-life products — at our nearby plant. Bryan Matthews (Rocky Mount, Va.) and Sam Koester (Evansville, Ind.) are both farmer-owners whose family dairy farming operations date back four and five generations. For both, this was their first visit to a DFA plant. “It was the first time I’d ever been to a plant of that caliber,” Bryan says. “I was really impressed with the assembly line process and how everything came together.” Sam agreed and added that he was equally impressed with the overall dedication of the team. During the tour, “one team member stopped what he was doing to explain what reactive milk fat was and the problem it was solving in food manufacturing,” Sam says. “It was amazing to see the problems being solved with milk.” The YCs left the tour with a reinforced belief that dairy does indeed have a very bright future! “On a scale from one to 10, my optimism for the dairy industry has been turned up to 11,” Sam says.

Did you know that milk is the official state beverage of 22 states across the U.S.? We’re not surprised! This fact highlights the importance of dairy farming to local economies and recognizes milk's role as a nutritious staple in our diets. From New York to North Carolina, milk is celebrated for its benefits and contribution to state heritage. And there's no time to celebrate like #NationalDairyMonth! Curious to see the full list? Count them for yourself >> https://bit.ly/4evAMnI.

While #JuneDairyMonth may be coming to a close, our deep appreciation for the commitment and dedication of our farmer-owners will not. From one farmer’s perspective, it’s not just about the connection to food, it’s all about dairy farming and the cows. “Our commitment goes beyond just providing milk; it’s about ensuring the highest standards of animal care, sustainability, and milk quality,” writes Holly Agari, a sixth-generation DFA farmer-owner in a recent article shared by Morning Ag Clips. “Dairy farmers want to do good and are dedicated to protecting our natural resources. When you enjoy a cold glass of milk or a slice of cheese, know that it comes from a dairy farmer’s love and commitment to providing a safe and wholesome product."

If these girls are indicative of the next generation of #dairy, we couldn’t be more #DFAProud! Meet Ava (8) and Kathryn (7), two enthusiastic young helpers at DFA farmer-owned Kelly Dairy in Rensselaer Falls, N.Y. Earlier this month, they shared some fun facts with their followers and were kind enough to let us reshare to close out #NationalDairyMonth!

Do you remember that trend where everyone was obsessed with cottage cheese? Of course you do, it's still happening! Cottage cheese has seen a massive resurgence in popularity, thanks to internet trends and influencers who have embraced its versatility and nutritional benefits. In late 2023, cottage cheese sales surged by 13%, and Greek yogurt sales increased by $2.8 billion. Curious about the rise of these dairy delights? Check out the full article from Progressive Dairy.

Who doesn’t love the show How It’s Made? Recently, 11 DFA farmer-owners from our Western area joined our dedicated staff in what could have been a real-life episode. They had the opportunity to see award-winning cheeses being made from their farm-fresh milk during their tour of a DFA plant in Turlock, Calif. “The plant tour impressed me from start to finish. I witnessed firsthand the entire cheese processing journey, from tankers dropping off fresh milk, to lab testing, milk processing and finally to fresh, award-winning cheeses ready to ship out to customers,” says Paul van Warmerdam, a DFA farmer-owner. “The science, cleanliness, efficiency, quality control and dedication from employees stood out to me. It's clear why our provolone and mozzarella cheeses have been winning awards for years,” he adds. “Knowing our milk is in good hands from the moment it’s picked up from our farm and seeing the cohesion of our connected Cooperative makes me proud to be a DFA farmer-owner.” During their two-day trip, our farmer-owners also helped combat food insecurity in their local community through a milk distribution event with Second Harvest of the Greater Valley, a local food bank in Manteca, California. Together with area staff and other volunteers, they handed out more than 300 half-gallons of milk to families in need. More than 300 food banks across the country have received financial support or donations of cold storage from DFA to help them offer dairy products to those in need year-round. Extend your support by joining #DFAInAction >> https://bit.ly/3cBgSYW.

Meet Martin Bates, president of global relations and marketing at DFA. Originally from #NewZealand and a world traveler, Martin worked for New Zealand dairy cooperatives before venturing to the United States.    At DFA, Martin's on a mission to share U.S. dairy’s goodness globally, scouting new markets and fostering partnerships to grow DFA's global presence and create more opportunities to share DFA farmer-owners’ milk with the world.    In this edition of our #FastFive series, where leaders from across the Cooperative answer five questions in three sentences or less, learn more about Martin’s favorite dairy product (we bet you’ve never heard of it!), his love of cycling and what he thinks of the United States after having lived around the world.