I was trying to type in the code to get my boarding passes at the airport in Atlanta, but I kept typing it in wrong. A young lady that worked for the airline asked could she help me.

She asked, “Where are you traveling to on this cool January day in Georgia?” I replied, “Minnesota.”

She then asked me if I owned a globe, and why would I want to fly north in the winter? I told her I was going to Minnesota to tour robotic dairy farms. She looked at me and asked, “What do you do for a living?”

I told her proudly, “I am a dairy farmer.” She smiled, looked at me with awe and said, “I have never met a farmer.” I smiled back and replied, “Now you have!”

To say the least, I was blown away by her comment. I live in a fairly rural part of Georgia and thought everyone had a farmer friend or relative that farmed in Georgia. I forgot how many people now live in urban areas of our state and country.

I took just a moment to tell the young lady about our farm while the boarding passes were printing. I smiled and told her that now she knew a farmer that was working to produce the food she saw in the supermarket. She laughed and said it was interesting to finally meet a farmer.

I have told several of my farming pals about the lady that had never met a farmer. I told them that I hoped I made a good impression on her, and that perhaps she can put a smiling face with the food she purchases.

You never know when you will have a chance to spread dairy’s positive message. It could be through social media or even a chance encounter. We need to let the consumer meet their farmer.

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