Episode 35 - Making Every Drop Count: How Farmers Guide And Drive Checkoff Success

Minnesota dairy farmer Charles Krause and DMI’s Jessica Learman speak with DMI’s Scott Wallin about how the checkoff builds sales and consumer trust for dairy farmers and importers who fund the checkoff. They discuss the importance of transparency in dairy checkoff programs and highlight the "Making Every Drop Count" campaign, which aims to unify various checkoff initiatives and make them more visible to farmers. The new website, DairyCheckoff.com, is designed to provide farmers with easy access to financial information, annual reports, and contact details for board members. Tune in to find out! To learn more about the national dairy checkoff and your local dairy checkoffs, please visit dairycheckoff.com.   Host & Guest: ·      Host: Scott Wallin, Vice President of Farmer Communications & Media Relations, Dairy Management Inc. ·      Guest: Jessica Learman, Executive Vice President, Farmer Outreach for Dairy Management Inc. ·      Guest: Charles Krause, Minnesota Dairy Farmer, First Vice Chair of United Dairy Industry Association, Chair of Midwest Dairy

DMI’s Chris Urban speaks with DMI’s Scott Wallin about the new dairy product innovation, YoBark, created with General Mills. YoBark targets teens and tweens who tend to leave the yogurt category due to a desire for on-the-go, shareable snacks. The product was developed through consumer insights and testing, resulting in a stand-up pouch yogurt bark that is both indulgent and has a good nutrient profile. They will also discuss the overall partnership, including future innovations and premium yogurt offerings, emphasizing the importance of the checkoff’s science through the National Dairy Council and checkoff’s consumer insights in driving demand. To learn more about the national dairy checkoff and your local dairy checkoffs, please visit dairycheckoff.com. Host & Guest: ·      Host: Scott Wallin, Vice President of Farmer Communications & Media Relations, Dairy Management Inc. ·      Guest: Chris Urban, Vice President of Global Growth Platforms & Partnerships, Dairy Management Inc.

DMI’s Megan Maisano and Aris Georgiadis speak with DMI’s Scott Wallin about how the checkoff is sharing dairy’s impact on children with the “First 1000 Days”. She also explains how the checkoff is promoting this research through our nutrition and health professionals and to consumers via trusted online resource centers.   Tune in to find out! Host & Guest: Host: Scott Wallin, Vice President of Farmer Communications & Media Relations, Dairy Management Inc. Guest: Megan Maisano, MS, RDN, Director of Nutrition & Regulatory Affairs, Dairy Management Inc. Guest: Aris Georgiadis, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications, Dairy Management, Inc.

DMI’s Nancy Gannon speaks with DMI’s Scott Wallin about the dairy checkoff’s international strategies for increasing U.S. cheese exports globally, focusing on partnerships with pizza chains like Pizza Hut. In Indonesia, Pizza Hut's innovative Limited Time Offers, such as the "Cheese Overflow" and culturally relevant Ramadan campaigns, have boosted cheese sales. In Japan, Pizza Hut's monthly "Hutto Day" and a 30% increase in cheese usage on pizzas highlight the growing demand for U.S. cheese. Tune in to find out more! To learn more about the national dairy checkoff and your local dairy checkoffs, please visit dairycheckoff.com   Host & Guest: ·      Host: Scott Wallin, Vice President of Farmer Communications & Media Relations, Dairy Management Inc. ·      Guest: Nancy Gannon, Vice President of Global Growth Platforms & Partnerships, Dairy Management Inc.

Barb O'Brien, CEO of Dairy Management Inc., and Marilyn Hershey, a Pennsylvania dairy farmer and Chair of DMI, discuss the "dairy renaissance" in US, driven by increased consumer engagement, health professional recommendations, and innovative social media campaigns.  O’Brien emphasizes the "Now, Next, Future" strategy, with the “Now” focus on immediate results, “Next” on ongoing science and partnership investments, and “Future” of long-term industry growth strategies.   They also stressed the importance of national and local collaboration, ensuring efficient use of funds and maximizing impact. Tune in to find out more! To learn more about the national dairy checkoff and your local dairy checkoffs, please visit dairycheckoff.com   Host & Guest: ·      Host: Marilyn Hershey, Pennsylvania dairy farmer and Chair of Dairy Management Inc. ·      Guest: Barb O’Brien, President and CEO of Dairy Management Inc.

Listen as Erin Walter, Vice President of Brand Marketing for Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers, shares how Midwest Dairy’s local partnership helps drive new dairy product innovations through Limited Time Offers (LTOs). With over 500 restaurants and growing, Freddy’s loves using LTOs to grab customers’ attention and get them into their expanding regional chain. This three-year partnership has produced several successful items including the Grilled Cheese Steakburger and the pumpkin pie and caramel apple pie concretes. Tune in to find out! To learn more about the national dairy checkoff and your local dairy checkoffs, please visit dairycheckoff.com Host & Guest: Host: Stephanie Onken, Midwest Dairy Corporate Communications Manager Guest: Erin Walter, Vice President of Brand Marketing, Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers Guest: Beth Bruck-Upton, Vice President of Business Unit Operations-West, Midwest Dairy

Listen as Katie Bambacht, Vice President for Nutrition Affairs, shares how the National Dairy Council educates, innovates, and supports the School Nutrition Association in getting kids to understand and consume healthy meals at school. They discuss the strength of our relationship with the School Nutrition Association, the new collaboration for the “Made With School Lunch” campaign, lactose education, and the success of the new flavored milk and lactose-free shelf-stable school milk pilots. Tune in to find out! To learn more about the national dairy checkoff and your local dairy checkoffs, please visit dairycheckoff.com. Host & Guest: ·      Host: Scott Wallin, Vice President, Farmer Relations and Media Relations for Dairy Management Inc. ·      Guest: Katie Bambacht, RDN, SNS, Vice President, Nutrition Affairs for National Dairy Council

Listen in as California dairy farmer and United Dairy Industry Association board member Arlene Vander Eyk has a conversation with Mike Ciresi, Vice President and On-site Dairy Scientist for Dairy Management Inc. about working at Taco Bell’s test kitchen. They discuss into Taco Bell's approach to dairy product innovation, the performance of dairy products since partnering, and what future dairy offerings may look like. Tune in to find out! To learn more about the national dairy checkoff and your local dairy checkoffs, please visit www.usdairy.com. Host & Guest: ·        Host: Arlene Vander Eyk, California Dairy Farmer and United Dairy Industry Association Board Member ·        Guest: Mike Ciresi, Vice President of Product Research for Dairy Management Inc. and On-Site Dairy Scientist at Taco Bell

Listen as Sarah Hetke, Director of Farmer Outreach, interviews Tyler Beck, owner of Beck Farms in New York, about his family’s experience in hosting Vanessa Bayer, a comedian and actress, on the farm for the filming of the Dairy Diaries. This video series follows Vanessa as she is thrust into the unfamiliar world of dairy farming. Through Bayer's experiences, viewers get an up-close look at the realities of modern dairy farming and the innovative sustainability and animal care practices shaping the industry's future.   Tune in to find out! To learn more about the national dairy checkoff and your local dairy checkoffs, please visit www.usdairy.com.   Host & Guest: ·      Host: Sarah Hetke, Director of Farmer Outreach ·      Guest: Tyler Beck, Owner of Beck Farms

Listen as Scott Wallin, Vice President of Farmer Relations, chats with Beau Hayden, vice president of strategic intelligence, about his work with online retailers such as Instacart and Amazon. They will also discuss promotional partnerships with both local checkoffs and retailer, Dollar General, as well as international partnerships with U.S. Dairy Export Council. Tune in to find out!  To learn more about the national dairy checkoff and your local dairy checkoffs, please visit www.usdairy.com.   Host & Guest: ·        Host: Scott Wallin, Vice President of Farmer Relations and Media Relations, Dairy Management Inc. ·        Guest: Beau Hayden, Vice President of Strategic Intelligence, Dairy Management Inc.