Posted: July 18, 2008 at 1:41 pm
By Chuck Zimmerman
Inspirational speaker and writer, Rebecca Long Chaney, is working on a series of agricultural education books for pre-schoolers and elementary school children. Here she’s seen with her exhibit at the Cattle Industry Summer Conference.
The book she’s promoting will be available through her website soon. This first book, which she had for sale, is written from the perspective of her twin daughters, raising their first orphan beef calf they found in a field. The book follows along from the field to when they get the calf halter trained.
Rebecca says the next book will focus on dairy, with her daughters spending a day on a neighbor’s dairy and working in a local creamery. She’s very passionate about teaching the truth about animal agriculture to children and says that this project is one she’ll be working on for years.
Rebecca was born and raised on a dairy farm and now raises registered Hereford beef cattle.
an Australian researcher who studied nutritional benefits of dairy food, was awarded the Danisco International Dairy Science Award by the American Dairy Science Association (ADSA). Congratulations to Dr. Parodi for this wonderful honor!
Dr Parodi, 74, is a world expert in dairy nutrition, particularly the role of dairy fat in human health. In 1977, he was the first person to discover the presence and determine the structure of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) – a major form of trans fatty acids in milk fat.
His work spans five decades uncovering the positive health benefits – and possibly the cancer-fighting properties – of dairy foods. Dr Parodi’s work in determining the structure and composition of milk fat was so important that in 1998 he was given the honor of naming a major trans fatty acid found in milk, which he called rumenic acid, after the cows’ stomach system, the rumen.
“For a scientist, exploring the unique properties and health benefits of dairy foods has been very rewarding,” he said.
His research has been supported by Australian dairy farmers through dairy research organizations – most recently Dairy Australia. Last year Dr Parodi was honored with the International Dairy Federation (IDF) award at its world summit in Dublin. He has been a recipient of dairy science’s most prestigious national awards – including the Award of Merit from the Australian Society of Australia and the Loftus Hill Dairy Science Award twice.
The annual international research and development award was established in 1980 and is judged by panel drawn from the ADSA. It recognizes outstanding accomplishments in chemistry, biochemistry, microbiology, technology, and engineering pertaining to the dairy foods industries.
Each year the NMPF Scholarship Committee awards scholarships to graduate and Ph.D. level students pursuing research in the areas of animal health, dairy product development, agriculture economics, environmental science and dairy food science.
The 2008 Murray Hintz Memorial Scholarship, given to the top scholarship candidate, was awarded to Kathryn E. Cowles. As a student at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Cowles is working for her Ph.D. in Animal Science. Her research will analyze urine pH as a diagnostic criterion for subacute ruminal acidosis (SARA) in dairy cows. Cowles hopes to provide producers with a better method for identifying SARA and making the necessary management and dietary changes for cows more quickly.
The Hintz Memorial Scholarship was established in 2006 to honor Murray Hintz, past Chairman of the Board for Cass-Clay Creamery, Inc., one of the cooperatives which played a key role in establishing the NMPF Scholarship Program.
The three other scholarship recipients are:
Bradley J. Heins, a student at the University of Minnesota, is pursuing his Ph.D. in Animal Science - Animal Genetics and Breeding. Heins’ research will examine the impact of crossbreeding on economics and profitability in the U.S. dairy industry.
Kasey Margaret Moyes is working for her Ph.D. in Animal Science at the University of Illinois. She will be researching the relationship between energy balance, immune system function, and susceptibility to mastitis in dairy cows.
Katie M. Schoenberg is pursuing her Ph.D. in Animal Science at Cornell University. Schoenberg’s research will help determine the role of insulin resistance in transition cow metabolism and the effects of 2,4-thiazolidinedione.
Do you live in North Dakota and want to see royalty? Then order your tickets today the 62nd annual North Dakota dairy princesses pageant. Held at the North Dakota All Seasons Arena at the fairgrounds in Minot, N.D. on July 23 at 7 p.m., the coronation is open to the public. The $15 tickets can be reserved by calling Char Hovland at 1-800-338-5160 by July 18.
Four women will compete for the chance to serve as the goodwill ambassador for the dairy industry and make public relations appearances over the course of the next year. The contestants for this year’s contest are:
* Ashley Kohler, daughter of Gary and Julie Kohler of Benedict;
* Sarah Holle, daughter of Charles and Catherine Holle of New Salem;
* Shelby Bohnenkamp, daughter of Bob and Mary Bohnenkamp of Milnor; and
* Kelsey Ledger, daughter of Kim and Charlie Ledger of Bismarck.
Candidates are judged on their personality, enthusiasm for dairy promotion, knowledge of the dairy industry and communications skills. The winner receives a $400 scholarship and the first runner-up receives a $200 scholarship. An additional $500 scholarship provided by Midwest Dairy Association is awarded to one contestant regardless of the contest results.
The Southwestern Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association (SWCMA) recently awarded their sixth annual $2,000 Young Dairy Producer Educational Scholarship to Matt Minder of Minder Farms, Browntown, Wis.
The purpose of this individual scholarship is to encourage young dairy producers to pursue educational opportunities that will allow them to continue in the dairy business.
Minder, a recent high school graduate, will use the scholarship money to attend the Farm and Industry Short Course at the University of Wisconsin – Madison and pursue a certification in Dairy Herd Management. Matt plans to complete the two year program and then return to the family farm. They currently milk 80 cows and Matt has a future goal of operating a 300 cow herd with a free stall barn and milking parlor. Matt currently works with their farm’s dairy nutritionist to produce high quality milk with good protein and butterfat composition. Minder currently owns four Holstein cows and three Holstein heifers.
Congratulations to Kasey Osborn, Genoa, New York, for winning the 2008 Robert H. Rumler Scholarship. The scholarship is administered by the Holstein Association USA and was established in 1984 to honor former Association Executive Secretary Mr. Rumler. Kasey certainly has already built an impressive resume in the industry and is much deserving of this award.
Osborn is currently enrolled in the HEC MBA Program at the HEC School of Management in Paris, France with an anticipated May 2009 graduation date.
Osborn’s vision is focused on making a positive impact on the dairy industry and he realizes significant changes will be required to make the industry competitive on a worldwide basis. To build on his dairy management and animal health expertise gained in the U.S., he is one of only two Americans in his MBA class, made up people mostly from Europe, Asia and South America. At age 27, Osborn has achieved academic and professional excellence well beyond his years. As an animal science undergraduate student at Cornell University, his talents were noticed quickly.
“Due to Kasey’s acedemic prowess, he was admitted into Cornell’s School of Veterinary Medicine, the top ranked veterinary school in the U.S., as a third year undergraduate student.” said Michael E. Van Amburgh, Associate Professor, Cornell University. “He is one of less than eight of our undergraduate students in the last ten years to achieve such a feat, and that demonstrates his tremendous intellectual capacity and maturity.”
After completing veterinary school, Osborn continued on to his true passion in broader dairy management consulting with Linwood Management Group. They hire outstanding professionals to go into currently operating dairy facilities to improve their management, labor, productivity and profitability. On the 2,000-cow dairy, Osborn managed everything from cow care to personnel, while also serving as staff veterinarian.
To further challenge himself, Osborn then accepted a lecturer position at Cornell. He developed and taught the undergraduate class “Evidenced Based Decision Making on Farms” that integrated financial and production management aspects of dairy farm management. He even worked as a large animal emergency clinician for Midstates Veterinary Clinic on nights and weekends.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District, is conducting a unique and interesting program, the Precision Feed Management Program. Helping N.Y. dairy farms implement cow feeding methods that will keep the state’s watersheds free of pollution and improve the quality of the farm’s milk is the goal of the program.
In Delaware County, New York the program is led by the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Delaware County along with a multi-agency team that includes the Corps’ New York District, Delaware County, the New York City Watershed Agricultural Council and the Delaware County Soil and Water Conservation District.
The program is showing dairy farms ways they can reduce the amount of phosphorous and nitrogen in their cow’s feed. Phosphorous and nitrogen can runoff into the water sources from cow excrement in the farm’s soil. So far the program has reduced phosphorous and nitrogen levels in the watersheds on
participating farms by over fifty percent.
To reduce phosphorous and nitrogen in the cow feed, the program is encouraging dairy farms to create better feed mixes for their dairy cows. The program is showing dairy farmers how to create more balanced blends that contain less phosphorous. One way they are doing this is by encouraging the farmers to purchase less commercial feed, which can be expensive, and grow more of their own home grown crop to feed their cows.
To grow their own feed, the program works with farms to adopt crop production methods that are beneficial to the farms in many ways, including no-till crop planting. This method eliminates the need to use gas guzzling machinery that requires expensive fuel. Doing less soil tillage also reduces soil erosion from the watershed. This is soil that may contain phosphorous and nitrogen.
“The real strength of the Precision Feed Management Program is that by working with farmers this closely we’re achieving quantified benefits for the environment and the farms - it’s a win-win situation.”
Devin Albrecht, Director of Marketing for Prairie State/Select Sires, Hampshire, Ill. He was a member of the steering committee that established the Midwest Regional Dairy Challenge and now serves as its Vice Chair.
Gary Hay, Dairy Extension Specialist for the Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, Baton Rouge, La. He served as local organizer of the 2007 Southern Regional Dairy Challenge contest.
Tami Tollenaar, an owner and manager of Tollenaar Dairy, Elk Grove, Calif. She served as chair for the Western Regional Dairy Challenge events of 2007 and 2008.
Mike Van Amburgh, Associate Professor of Animal Science at Cornell University, Ithaca, NY. He was chair of the 2006 Northeast Regional Dairy Challenge contest.
They succeed retiring directors Matt Budine, Progressive Dairy Solutions Inc., Oakdale, Calif.; Linda Hodorff, Second Look Holsteins, Eden, Wis.; and David C. Thorbahn, Select Sires, Inc., Plain City, Ohio.
Elected to his second three-year term on the NAIDC Board was Rob Sheffer, Regional General Manager of Cargill Animal Nutrition, Albany, NY. Todd Kranz of Dublin, Ohio, Division Manager with ABS Global Inc., was elected to complete the unexpired term of board member Hap Allen, Shawano, Wis.
Members of the NAIDC Executive Committee for 2008-09 are Chair Larry Muller, Penn State University professor emeritus, University Park, Pa.; Vice Chair Barry Putnam, with Genex, Ithaca, N.Y.; Finance Chair Bruce Clark of Northstar Cooperative, Coldwater, Mich.; Program Chair Kas Ingawa, North Carolina State University and DRMS, Raleigh, N.C.; and Media and Public Relations Chair Cherie Bayer, American Jersey Cattle Association, Reynoldsburg, Ohio.
Continuing NAIDC board members include Miriam Weber-Nielsen of Michigan State University, East Lansing, Mich.; JoDee Sattler of DairyBusiness Communications, National DHIA and National Mastitis Council, Hartland, Wis.; Jean Conklin, Yankee Farm Credit and dairy producer, Haverhill, N.H., and Luciene Ribiero, APC Inc., Visalia, Calif.
Londa Johnson, LaCrescent, Minn. has been named summer intern for the industry relations team of Midwest Dairy Association, serving in the St. Paul, Minn. office.
Johnson is pursuing a degree in dairy science with a communications minor at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. As intern, Johnson will assist with distributing promotional materials, organizing Princess Kay events at the Minnesota State Fair and writing news releases. Johnson will also help extend the organization’s “People Behind the Product” initiative, helping consumers realize the pride and dedication dairy farmers have for producing wholesome dairy products.
Growing up on her family’s 120-cow dairy farm helped Johnson develop a strong background and passion for the dairy industry. As a past Houston county dairy princess and runner-up for Princess Kay of the Milky Way, Johnson is very familiar with dairy checkoff programs. Her experience also includes serving as a 2006 Minnesota FFA state officer and 2007 National Beef Ambassador, and she is currently president of the University of Wisconsin-River Falls Dairy Club.
“I am excited to expand my knowledge of the dairy industry,” said Johnson. “I look forward to working with producers, consumers and staff at Midwest Dairy Association to promote an industry I love.” Johnson’s internship began in late May.
The Midwest Dairy Association has been honored by the National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) for its program, the People Behind the Product. The dairy checkoff funded program won first place in the national “Best of NAMA” awards program. The initiative won the category called “producer-funded, consumer-directed public relations programs.”
The contest attracts more than 1,200 entries in all categories. Winners are considered in national competition after first qualifying at a regional level. Midwest Dairy’s initiative was chosen from among seven national finalists for the recognition.
The video component of the program, a presentation called “Who Are We? The People Behind the Product” and featuring stories about five Midwest dairy farm families, was also honored by NAMA. It was one of eight national finalists in a separate category for audio/visual/electronic media.
It is the fourth award for the video, which in 2006 also won a Bronze Telly award for outstanding video and film, a MarCom award for outstanding achievement by marketing and communications professionals and a Platinum Best of Show Aurora award in an independent international film and video competition.
The People Behind the Product effort showcases dairy producers and their commitment to their animals, the environment and producing wholesome, nutritious milk. It reaches important influencers in the nutrition community and consumers who attend events and activities within Midwest Dairy’s nine-state region.
The community relations component, SpeakOut!, provides training and resources to dairy farmers who give presentations to community leaders. Since it began in December of 2006, more than 150 dairy farmers have become involved, and spoken to more than 6,500 community leaders about today’s dairy farm practices.
“The dairy industry recognizes the growing number of people who care about the health and environmental impact of the products they buy,” says Tom Gallagher, chief executive officer of DMI, which manages the national dairy producer checkoff program. “We must do all we can to ensure that consumers know that the dairy industry is committed to improving their lives, both nutritionally and environmentally.”
The initiative will identify key supply-chain innovations that, as part of a comprehensive sustainability effort, can help position dairy as a preferred product among the rapidly increasing number of socially-conscious consumers. Among the focus areas of the effort will be identifying opportunities to reduce energy consumption and costs in milk production and processing, as well as boost on-farm income opportunities in emerging “green” energy markets.
This initiative will help identify opportunities for dairy farmers to generate additional revenue from emerging energy markets through methane capture and other innovations. By working together, dairy producers and processors can further demonstrate our industry’s commitment to healthy people and a healthy planet. Through this effort, DMI, NMPF and IDFA will identify best practices and opportunities for innovation in production, processing and marketing of milk and milk products.
“We are at the dawn of a new era in the food retailing industry,” Gallagher said. “This ground-breaking, checkoff-supported effort will help us tap the ingenuity of our industry and guarantee that we can continue to produce a highly nutritious and sustainable product for American consumers.”
“The dairy industry’s commitment to sustainability is a win-win-win,” according to Gallagher. “By working together, we can identify opportunities to cut energy costs, produce ‘green’ energy and develop a deeper connection with consumers and retailers.”
As part of the initiative, the three dairy organizations have begun efforts to analyze the carbon footprint of milk, from production on the farm, through processing and retail distribution, to consumption. This analysis will help identify potential innovation opportunities and possible best practices that can reduce energy use and increase sales in the dairy supply chain. After calculating milk’s carbon footprint, this life cycle analysis will be subject to a peer review process to develop a manuscript for publication in a scientific journal.
Congratulations to Jenna Boote of Hull, Iowa, for her summer internship with the Midwest Dairy Association. Boote will work at the Ankeny, Iowa office for the industry relations team.
A senior public relations and religion major at Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa, Boote will use her skills to design and implement a student nutrition initiative encouraging schools to provide students with a variety of wholesome and nutritious foods like dairy products. She will also assist industry leaders in their efforts to extend the organization’s “People Behind the Product” initiative. Working closely with producers, Boote will record their stories and coordinate special events to help consumers learn more about their dairy farming neighbors.
“Growing up on a farm, I have seen firsthand the lifestyle of dedication and responsibility dairy producers represent. I am excited to be in a role where I can share my father’s story, and the stories of other dedicated farmers,” Boote says. The daughter of Kevin and Janet Boote, she has a long history of promotional work in the dairy industry and served as the Iowa State Dairy Princess in 2005. Boote’s internship began in early May.
Posted: June 2, 2008 at 11:07 am
By Laura McNamara
The Milk Processor Education Program has named its 2008 SAMMY Award winners. Twenty-five teens are receiving the $7,500 Scholar Athlete Milk Mustache of the Year Award. A record-breaking 65,000 students entered the contest.
The winners are unsurpassed when it comes to top-notch performance in academics, athletics, community service and leadership.
The 2008 SAMMY Award winners will join a distinguished group of fellow SAMMY alumni and celebrities in the Milk Mustache campaign who serve as inspiring role models to teens across the country.
Winners will receive a $7,500 college scholarship and join Michelle Kwan and Avery Johnson for an award ceremony and induction into the SAMMY Hall of Fame at The Milk House at Disney’s Wide World of Sports(R). Each of the 25 winners also will grace the pages of the USA Today on June 27th with their very own special-edition Milk Mustache ad, joining the ranks of Milk Mustache celebrities from Rihanna and Taylor Swift to Vince Carter and Michael Strahan. (more…)
“We want to have a Web site that speaks the language and culture of Latinos,” said Steve James, executive director, California Milk Processor Board (CMPB). “We hope that we’ll be able to better communicate, better reach and better connect with our Hispanic base by having a site that speaks to them.”
TomaLeche.com provides a full-service site with a whimsical, fairytale style as the backdrop for a magical world of milk.
Until recently, the Spanish-language “Toma Leche” health program and campaign was part of the CMPB’s English-language GotMilk.com site, which required Spanish online users to access the site in English and then click the option for Spanish in order to get basic information about the health benefits of milk consumption in their preferred language, per the CMPB.
Calling all dairy producers in Minnesota! Your help is needed in connecting with consumers online. Midwest Dairy Association is seeking your input and photos for their new website call Explore Dairy. What a great opportunity for you to showcase your hard-work!
Minnesota consumers will soon be able get details about summer dairy activities with just a click of the mouse. Midwest Dairy Association is preparing to launch a new Web site designed to be a one-stop hub for consumers looking for information on Minnesota’s dairy industry - and it’s looking for contributions from producers.
ExploreDairy.com will help spread the word about summertime dairy-related activities, from June Dairy Month through the State Fair. It will also showcase the passion dairy farmers and their families have for producing a wholesome, nutritious product while caring for their animals and the land they call home. The site, which is scheduled to launch in late May, will include a calendar of events and articles, photos and videos featuring everything from Princess Kay to the People Behind the Product of Minnesota.
Midwest Dairy Association is asking dairy farmers to be a part of the Dairy Diary, highlighting their families and what they’ve been doing on their farms throughout the summer. Dairy producers are invited to submit journal entries and photos to help communicate the values, dedication and responsibilities the industry readily shoulders to provide consumers with great tasting dairy products.
Short journal entries of about 75-100 words will be submitted to Midwest Dairy Association. The entries are expected to describe current activities on the farm, and should include at least two pictures that showcase family members or employees involved in those tasks. Entries can be submitted from May 26 through Sept. 1 to info@midwestdairy.com.
The folks at the got milk? have given their website a new look! Be sure to check it out, because there may be a prize in store for you if your milk IQ can match the online puzzle. One grand prize winner will get a brand new Apple MacAir, second place receives a Nintendo Wii and third place finisher picks up a $150 Apple/iTunes gift card.
To reward consumers for touring the Web site, got milk? is challenging Californians to participate in a crossword puzzle contest titled “Are You Smarter than Your Mama? Test Your Milk IQ.”
They must correctly figure out the answers to 20 questions on the crossword puzzle as they relate to got milk?, its advertising campaign, as well as its health and consumer efforts. All answers can be found on the Web site.
The interactive Web site features eye-catching flash animations graphics and better navigational tools to make it easier for visitors to surf the site. Besides its visually captivating appeal, the site delivers the positive message of milk as a super drink: strengthening bones, muscles, hair, nails and teeth and even reducing some of the symptoms of PMS.
On the home page, consumers can navigate through a series of interactive games highlighting the health benefits of milk. These games feature a beaver, for example, who teaches visitors about milk’s teeth strengthening qualities, or an owl who informs consumers that drinking milk before sleep could help them get extra z’s at night. A drop down “related content” menu would also pop-out, giving consumers access to milk-related studies, articles and delicious low-fat recipes.
Anyone wishing to see the announcement of the 12 new finalist’s for Minnesota’s 55th annual Princess Kay of the Milky Way is invited to attend the royal luncheon on Sunday, May 18 at the College of St. Benedict in St. Joseph.
The public is invited to attend the luncheon by calling 1-800-338-5160 to purchase tickets at a cost of $15 each. Reservations must be made by Monday, May 12. Those wishing to attend without participating in the meal may do so free of charge and without making reservations.
The three-day event that includes a workshop for the princesses concludes with the announcement of the 12 young women who will compete for Minnesota’s 55th Princess Kay title.
About 80 young women involved in dairy promotion typically participate in the workshops and contest, learning how to educate the public about the passion dairy farmers have for producing wholesome dairy products while caring for the land and animals. Dairy farmers sponsor the event and the dairy princess program through their promotion checkoff organization, Midwest Dairy Association.
Those who opt to compete for a Princess Kay finalist position are judged by an application, a personal interview, a speech and a mock media interview. Princess Kay is selected during the opening of the Minnesota State Fair in August, and the 12 finalists will each have their likenesses carved in butter while fair-goers watch. The butter sculptures are a key attraction at the fair.
Don’t forget to register for the 5th Downes-O’Neill/EDairy Annual Outlook Conference. Held on June 18 & 19 in Chicago, the conference’s platinum sponsor is Schreiber Foods and the gold sponsor is Dairy Farmers of America. An impressive list of speakers are on the program.
The Outlook Conference is a leading gathering for dairy-industry executives, analysts, traders, and producers that also attracts participants with price risk exposure in other commodities, including grains and fuels.
The keynote speaker for this year’s conference is Todd Buchholz, a former director of economic policy at the White House and a managing director of the $15 billion Tiger hedge fund. Buchholz, who has authored numerous books on the economy, including Market Shock: 9 Economic and Social Upheavals that Will Shake our Financial Future and the bestseller Dead Economists, will present his viewpoint of the direction of the global economy in 2008 and beyond.
The conference, also will feature Siva Yam, the president of the U.S.-China Chamber of Commerce, who will discuss the Chinese economy and trends in that nation’s food import and export situation. Climatologist Drew Lerner, who also addressed last year’s conference – and predicted this year’s harsh winter in the U.S. – will be back to offer his predictions for global weather patterns in the remainder of 2008 and beyond.
Downes-O’Neill/FCStone’s own Bill Brooks will offer his perspective on the changing fundamentals of the dairy market and what they will mean for prices at the wholesale and retail level. Ken Bailey, Associate Professor of Agricultural Economics at Penn State University and a consultant to Downes-O’Neill/FCStone, also will address the dairy market outlook, and will discuss the use of econometric models to forecast commodity prices.
Other speakers will include David Hightower, editor of the Hightower Report newsletter, on U.S. and world currencies; Julian Viso, Vice President of Latin American Operations for FCStone, LLC, on Latin America’s economy and agriculture sector; Eric Bowles, Senior Vice President of FCStone Trading on OTC swap derivatives; Mike Knobbe, President, carbon credits, of FCStone Carbon, LLC; technical analyst Peter Ullrich; Jim Webster, publisher of the Webster Agricultural Letter, on the legislative outlook; Tripp Dunman, Director of the fuel surcharge program for FCStone, LLC on the energy market outlook and trading strategies; and David Smoldt, FCStone Vice President and risk-management consultant, on the outlook for U.S. grains.
The Midwest Dairy Association - North Dakota Division is seeking candidates to participate in this year’s Dairy Princess contest scheduled for July 23, 2008 in Minot during the North Dakota State Fair. The entry deadline is June 27, 2008.
The North Dakota State Dairy Princess serves as an ambassador for the state’s dairy industry, helping the dairy checkoff program to communicate with consumers about wholesome and nutritious dairy products and the responsible stewardship employed by dairy farmers with their land and animals.
Candidates must be 17 to 23 years old, a high school graduate, unmarried and have parents or guardians who are actively engaged in the production of milk for sale to a licensed plant. A candidate also qualifies if she, her parent or guardian is employed on a dairy farm. Candidates are judged on their communication skills, personality, general knowledge of the dairy industry and enthusiasm for dairy promotion.
The 2008 North Dakota Dairy Princess receives a $400 scholarship and the first runner-up receives a $200 scholarship. One contestant, regardless of the contest results, will also be awarded a $500 scholarship from the Midwest Dairy Association North Dakota Division.
Our favorite new rock band, White Gold, has launched its own website. The group, which includes the fabulous Calcium Twins is also appearing in several new T.V. spots. Check out the site to see the new ads, or visit the group’s MySpace page, or watch their video on YouTube.
30-second TV spots touting the health benefits of drinking milk: strong, shiny hair, nails and teeth as well as a beautifully toned physique. The ads, coupled with the band’s new interactive Web site, show music lovers, especially teenagers, how cool and beneficial drinking milk can be.
“White Gold’s TV spots and the new Web site are engaging and quirky with humor that we believe young people will relate to,” says Steve James, executive director of the California Milk Processor Board (CMPB), the advertiser responsible for GOT MILK? and for signing White Gold as the face behind its new ad campaign.
“As sodas and energy drinks become more and more popular among teens, we want to show teenagers that milk is cool, if not cooler and healthier than other beverages in the supermarket.”
“The ads will air during programs with high teen audiences,” says James. “‘American Idol’ is a great example and networks like MTV are another. By strategically placing the ads, there is a higher likelihood teenagers would become fans of rock idol White Gold and his milk gospel.
Inspirational speaker and writer, Rebecca Long Chaney, is working on a series of agricultural education books for pre-schoolers and elementary school children. Here she’s seen with her exhibit at the Cattle Industry Summer Conference.
