We all scream for ice cream! That popular saying is commonly heard around summertime when ice cream is the go-to item at summer gatherings and the perfect sweet treat on a hot afternoon. I learned while studying dairy trivia for Dairy Bowl that National Ice Cream Month is held each year in July; it always seemed fitting with warm weather outside and the delectable summer treat that ice cream is. Curious on the history, I decided to research how this special dairy celebrated month came to be.
According to the International Dairy Foods Association, President Ronald Reagan declared July to be National Ice Cream Month in the year 1984. He stated in his proclamation the strong economic output the ice cream industry yields for the United States economy. With the announcement of National Ice Cream Month and National Ice Cream Day (July 16, 2017, the 3rd Sunday in July), the president encouraged U.S. citizens to celebrate “with appropriate ceremonies and activities.”
We all know the dairy industry produces a ton of ice cream just by taking one glance at all the flavors and brands in the grocery freezer aisle. In 2015, production totaled 1,346 million gallons of ice cream and 1,474 million gallons of frozen dairy products (National Milk Producers Federation Dairy Data Highlights, October 2016). This data also shared that the average American consumed 19.6 pounds of ice cream (regular and less fat) in 2015.
Elise Regusci grew up on her family's farm in Modesto, Calif. Regusci attends Cal Poly University, majoring in dairy science with an agricultural communication minor. On campus, she is the Los Lecheros Dairy Club Ag Council representative and a member of the Cal Poly dairy judging team. Regusci is the current Brown Swiss Youth Ambassador and is the 2017 Hoard's Dairyman summer editorial intern.
