The dairy industry will have a leading voice in the discussion of food and technology during the South by Southwest (SXSW) Conference, a breeding ground for new ideas and creative technologies.
This is the second consecutive year the dairy industry will have a presence at SXSW, an annual set of film, interactive media and music festivals and conferences that take place March 10-19 in Austin, Texas. Its interactive festival attracted more than 37,000 attendants from 82 countries last year.
The Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy, an organization founded by dairy farmers through their checkoff, will host a panel discussion on March 13 titled “We Love Technology … Why Not When it Comes to Food?”
Indiana dairy farmer Sue McCloskey will represent animal agriculture on the panel, which will explore the complex relationship between food, technology and consumer trust. Other panelists include Brian Frank, a food technology entrepreneur, David Rosenberg, CEO of vertical farming company Aerofarms and moderator Melissa Abbott, consumer foods researcher at the Hartman Group.
“South by Southwest is a great example of how the checkoff can move dairy into new opportunities and bring our voices to people who are disconnected from farmers,” said Paul Rovey, Arizona dairy farmer and chairman of Dairy Management Inc., which manages the national dairy checkoff. “We look forward to being part of the discussion that focuses on how technology can help us continue to feed our nation in a safe and efficient manner.”
To learn more about SXSW, visit www.sxsw.com
About the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy®
The Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy® is a forum that leverages the collective power of the dairy community to address the changing needs and expectations of consumers through a framework of shared best practices and accountability. Our voices span the food chain, from dairy farms through retail, including farmers, companies, organizations and grocers. We focus on priorities that are pre-competitive in nature, where working together brings strength and the opportunity to make meaningful change. Initiated in 2008 by dairy farmers through the dairy checkoff, we collaborate on efforts that are important both to us and our valued customers – issues like food safety, nutrition and health, the environment and economics. The Innovation Center is committed to continuous improvement from farm to table, striving to ensure a socially responsible and economically viable dairy community.
About Dairy Management Inc.
Dairy Management Inc.™ (DMI) is funded by America’s more than 43,000 dairy farmers, as well as dairy importers. Created to help increase sales and demand for dairy products, DMI and its related organizations work to increase demand for dairy through research, education and innovation, and to maintain confidence in dairy foods, farms and businesses. DMI manages National Dairy Council and the American Dairy Association, and founded the U.S. Dairy Export Council, and the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy. Visit www.DairyGood.org to see how the checkoff is building consumer confidence in dairy. To learn more about the dairy checkoff, visit www.dairy.org
