Has anyone else gotten sucked into the world of Tiktok? There are some things on this social media platform that you just cannot get out of your head. As a test, can you finish this line?: “Chicken wing, chicken wing hotdog, and . . .” If you yes, you know exactly what I’m talking about! For those of you that don’t . . . good for you! Either way, Tiktok has been an amazing place to find entertainment and also information.
When I say information, I’m talking about anything and everything from keeping food fresh longer to mental health tricks. But what I see taking off like wildfire are food and animal related videos, and specifically agricultural videos. If you haven’t seen it yet, take a quick look, because dairy is making waves on Tiktok. So many people are asking questions and leaving comments on videos with cows as the stars, and it is amazing to see!
People are more and more interested in cows and those that care for the animals. With that being said, we are seeing dairy producers coming out of the woodwork! They are sharing their farm and educating people on what dairy is all about, and they are doing it with flair!
I have seen more dairy producers dance than I thought I would ever see. I have seen more cows in different parts of the US, in different weather conditions, and they’re all being taken care of in style; even better, people have been very receptive. It’s almost as if people are starting to question everything and think for themselves and that’s a good thing.
In recent history, a lot of acting and very misleading marketing has steered consumers a false direction. The beautiful thing about dairy is that the story is real and doesn’t stray from the truth. Dairy producers care for their animals no matter what and take pride in not only their product, but their way of life. That is shareable and loveable content.
Now I will be the first to admit that some of the random Tiktok trends will drop your IQ and rot your brain, but there is so much good out there, too, and some of it is created by fellow dairy producers. I am so proud to see others in the dairy industry feel comfortable enough to share their way of life on social media, no matter the platform. It is not always easy to create content, but people are becoming more and more receptive all the time, and that is a great positive!
Tyler Ribeiro is a fourth-generation dairy farmer born and raised in California. He is currently partners with his father at Rib-Arrow Dairy in Tulare where they proudly ship their milk to Land O’Lakes. Tyler is actively involved in the dairy industry, holding leadership roles in various organizations locally and across the United States.
