As Super Bowl LII descends on Minneapolis this week, it’s a time to celebrate all things football, and it’s also a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to talk to thousands of people about dairy farmers’ 100-plus year commitment to health and wellness. Starting this weekend, more than 50 dairy farmers from across Minnesota will be sharing their stories at this year’s Super Bowl Experience, taking place from Sat., Jan. 27 through Sat., Feb. 3 at the Minneapolis Convention Center.
These Minnesota dairy farmers have been given the unique opportunity to participate in this year’s Super Bowl Experience, serving as ambassadors for Midwest Dairy’s Fuel Up to Play 60 program. Fuel Up to Play 60 encourages students across the country to eat healthy and get active for 60 minutes a day. While there, Minnesota dairy farmers will be talking with thousands of event goers from across the country about dairy farming, how milk gets from farms to grocery stores in about 48 hours, encouraging guests to get involved in the Fuel Up to Play 60 program and assisting with a virtual reality game where players will get a first-hand look at a dairy farm modeled after the Heintz Badger Valley Farm in Caledonia, Minn. Event goers will also have the opportunity to meet current and retired NFL players from across the league who will be stopping by the Fuel Up to Play 60 booth throughout the week.
“One of the goals of Midwest Dairy is to have conversations with people about where their food comes from and how dairy can be incorporated into a healthy lifestyle. And, we love doing that by bringing dairy farmers to unexpected places,” said Lucas Lentsch, CEO of Midwest Dairy. “The Super Bowl Experience is an excellent opportunity to have one-on-one conversations with thousands of people who may have never been to a dairy farm. We’re excited to share with them the Undeniably Dairy story and highlight dairy’s goodness and nutrition.”
Created in partnership by the National Football League and National Dairy Council, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Fuel Up to Play 60 is the nation’s largest in-school wellness program, creating transformational change in more than 73,000 schools nationwide. Because of the program, last year more than 13 million students made better food choices by choosing nutrient-rich foods like low-fat and fat-free dairy, fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Additionally, nearly 16 million students are getting more physically active during the school day.
The Super Bowl Experience runs Sat., Jan. 27 through Sat., Feb. 3 at the Minneapolis Convention Center. The Fuel Up to Play 60 booth is located in the Kids’ Zone, which can be found in Hall A (Lower Level).
In addition to the Super Bowl Experience, dairy farmers will be involved in other events during the week leading up to Super Bowl Sunday, including the Minnesota Super Bowl Host Committee Tailgate Party on Wed., Jan. 31 and the Fuel Up! Innovation Challenge on Sat., Feb. 3.
For more event details or to schedule an interview with a dairy farmer or with Lentsch, please contact: Stephanie Cundith at scundith@midwestdairy.com or 913-904-8328.
About Fuel Up to Play 60
Fuel Up to Play 60 is an in-school nutrition and physical activity program launched by National Football League (NFL) and National Dairy Council (NDC), which was founded by America’s dairy farmers, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Fuel Up to Play 60 is designed to engage and empower youth to take action for their own health by implementing long-term, positive changes for themselves and their schools. The program additionally encourages youth to consume nutrient-rich foods (low-fat and fat-free dairy, fruits, vegetables and whole grains) and achieve at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day. As a result of the program, last year 14 million students made better food choices and are getting more physically active during the school day. Fuel Up to Play 60 is further supported by several health and nutrition organizations: Action for Healthy Kids, American Academy of Family Physicians, American Academy of Pediatrics, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Association/Foundation, National Hispanic Medical Association, National Medical Association and School Nutrition Association. Visit FuelUpToPlay60.com to learn more.
Midwest Dairy Association® represents 7,400 dairy farm families and works on their behalf to increase dairy sales, foster innovation and inspire consumer confidence in dairy products and practices. Midwest Dairy is funded by checkoff dollars from dairy farmers in a 10-state region, including Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas and eastern Oklahoma. For more information, visit MidwestDairy.com. Follow us on Twitter and find us on Facebook at Midwest Dairy.
