By David Schmitz, WMMB Board Member - District 16
We spend most of the year planning, planting, tending, improving and harvesting our crops to provide for our animals. Just like our crops we also cultivate relationships beyond our farms and connect with people in our communities.
Growing up in Fond du Lac I was the only kid in my class who lived on a farm. Today I am proud to continue our family's farm and be part of the 96% of family dairy farms operating here in Wisconsin. Our industry is full of educational and teaching opportunities allowing us to grow no matter what our interests are. I look for opportunities to grow and develop my skills to take even better care of my cows, but I find myself today looking at ways to become a better people person too. We have amazing staff and family members here working hard each day on our farm, and I am excited to pass my knowledge on to the next generation.
Over the years the farm has not only changed and grown but so has our community. Cities across Wisconsin have grown and expanded out into the country and are projected to continue this growth for many years to come. With the rural and urban overlap there is so much opportunity for growth, not structurally, but educationally and socially, as well. The dairy industry is considered by some people to be much like a small community, but there are so many more people connected to our industry, we just need to go beyond our farms to make this important connection.
The reality is that many people are generations removed from production agriculture and do not truly understand where their food comes from or how it is produced. One way WMMB works hard to educate and promote the dairy industry is through local grassroots efforts.
Wisconsin is home to 62 County Dairy Leader Groups (CDLG), these are independent volunteer organizations partially funded by check-off monies from WMMB that conduct a variety of local dairy promotion activities each year. Each group initiates a variety of dairy promotion activities throughout the year. Many hold retail promotions, host June Dairy Month activities, present school education programs and work with local media.
Each County Dairy Leader Group is unique. Some groups have Dairy or Ag Ambassador positions which provide additional focus on dairy education and promotion. These positions range from summer employment attending fairs, parades and festivals, part-time classroom or dairy promotion activities, to full-time paid positions doing classroom education across the county. If you are interested in learning more about programs happening in your county or ways to get involved on a local level, check out: www.wmmb.com
As the weather grows warmer and we get ready for the busy season of planting, I encourage you to share what is happening on the farm with people in your community. Even social media like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram can be great spaces to share your story. DairyDoingMore.org is a great resource providing you dairy facts, economic impact information as well as great articles covering a wide range of topics consumers care about.
Just like the seeds we plant in the spring, the relationships we create need to be cultivated, so that over time we can help consumers sort through knowledge gaps, the misperceptions and myths surrounding what we do in the dairy industry. Providing nutritious food and caring for our cows and the land are at the heart of what we do. Show your pride and share it.
4.11.2016
