PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE: NDFA

Dairy Isn’t Going Anywhere, but We Need to Take Risks and Use Facts to Evolve

BY MIKE SUEVER, PRESIDENT, BOARD OF DIRECTORS, NDFA

In my role as president of the NDFA board of directors and in my capacity at Hood, I am constantly faced with many questions and concerns surrounding the idea that dairy consumption is becoming less and less relevant. While this might make great headlines, it is, in essence, a far cry from the truth. Think about it. The dairy industry does a remarkable job of getting fresh nutritious products to every retail location in the entire country every day. Even in parts of our country considered “food deserts,” or areas where there are few, if any, nutritious products available, fresh fluid milk is almost always on the shelves.

So why is the word on the street that no one is drinking milk anymore? Everyone from the media to the anti-animal agriculture advocates seems to be taking shots at our industry, while spreading erroneous messages to the general public that the dairy case is to be avoided. These messages may make good headlines, but those of us in the industry know that there are plenty of milk myths that need to be debunked. This issue of Northeast Dairy addresses this topic with some of our features. “Who Drinks Milk Anymore?” disproves some of the myths with solid statistics from the American Dairy Association and Dairy Management, Inc. — information that each of us can arm ourselves with as we advocate strongly for our industry. Another feature, “MilkPEP Offers Strategic Campaigns to Increase Consumption,” focuses on the efforts the organization is making to show that milk is fuel. Milk is nutrition. Milk is good for you! Even if you’re not specifically a milk processor, this article can help you spread this message — backed by scientists and nutritionists — and promote

Everyone from the media to the anti-animal agriculture advocates seems to be taking shots at our industry, while spreading erroneous messages to the general public that the dairy case is to be avoided.

— MIKE SUEVER

consumption of milk and other dairy products. Collectively, we need to focus on promoting the things that ARE great about milk — vitamins, minerals, protein and overall deliciousness. The nutrition drum is one that we should be beating loudly as an industry at a time when many are trying to push milk aside.

Dairy in itself isn’t going anywhere, but it does need to evolve and keep pace with consumer trends, tastes and buying habits. Unfortunately, due to outdated regulations (continued on next page)

that cover things like package size, fat content and protein levels that trigger reclassification, the new-found “fear of sugar” over flavor, and standards of identity that force us to work within limits that are restrictive and very unique to our industry. We are trapped in a box of our own making, but only we can take the risk toward change. We need to stop falling into the “fluid milk marketing mindset,” shaking our heads every time we see a report that tells us that fewer consumers are lugging home a couple of gallons of milk each time they go to the grocery store. Certainly,

fluid milk is at the heart of our industry, but we need to be innovators. If consumers aren’t buying whole milk in gallon jugs, then what do they want? We need to find those answers and respond with other dairy options. Look at what an exceptional job the cheese segment of our industry has done in reinventing itself over and over again. I hope you enjoy this issue of Northeast Dairy and that the ideas and concepts in these articles inspire you to help spark innovation and promote what’s great about milk and the dairy industry.

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