By Blake Jackson
The American Dairy Association Northeast (ADA Northeast) supports dairy promoters across the region in their year-long roles representing their state’s dairy farmers and serving as faces of the industry to consumers.
ADA Northeast oversees the dairy ambassador program for New York State and the dairy princess program in New Jersey. Additionally, it offers financial support and resources for dairy princess programs in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia.
“These young promoters are the ‘boots on the ground’ for dairy checkoff’s grassroots promotion efforts,” said ADA Northeast CEO John Chrisman. “We want to give them the tools and resources to feel confident and knowledgeable when interacting with consumers.”
At the New York Dairy Ambassador training seminar, participants engaged with a local improvisational group to prepare for consumer interactions at events such as county fairs and grocery store promotions.
They also received media training from a former Syracuse news anchor, which included mock interviews to hone their skills. "I gained a lot of useful tips that I can use the next time I am interviewed,” said one participant.
A panel of dairy farmers active on social media provided insights on effective content posting. Registered dietitian Abbey Copenhaver of Ivy Lakes Dairy in Stanley, N.Y., discussed captioning nutrition-focused content and photos.
Johanna Bossard of Barbland and White Eagle Dairy in Fabius, N.Y., talked about animal care posts, while Val Lavigne of UNC Brock Farm in Schaghticoke, N.Y., covered environmental sustainability content.
Dairy princesses from Maryland, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania learned about ADA North East’s key messages regarding animal care, environmental sustainability, and the nutrition of milk and dairy foods. They also practiced handling tough consumer questions.
Pennsylvania Dairy Promotion Program Chair Lolly Lesher joined the Pennsylvania Dairy Princess Training Seminar to discuss checkoff programs.
“Providing our young promoters with the necessary tools to educate consumers about how dairy farmers take care of their cows and land, and to share basic nutrition information, is key to their success,” said Lesher.
“They serve as the local faces of our industry, which goes a long way to building trust in milk and dairy foods.”
Photo Credit: gettyimages-ahavelaar.
Categories: New York, General, Government & Policy, Livestock, Dairy Cattle, Poultry