The “Choose PA Dairy: Goodness that Matters” campaign has been launched by the state Department of Agriculture along with dairy industry groups as the state dairy crisis deepens.
It urges consumers to make sure they are buying Pennsylvania-sourced milk when they shop.
Consumers can do that by looking for the “PA Preferred” logo or the plant code number 42 on the packaging.
Not all Pennsylvania-produced milk has the “PA Preferred” logo — which is a voluntary marketing campaign — but all Pennsylvania milk will have the 42 on containers. It is the first number after “Plant” or “Plt” and is usually found printed near the top of the milk container or on the lid.
Offers of help
Explaining the motivation behind the campaign, Jayne Sebright, executive director of the Center for Dairy Excellence, said the industry support group has heard from numerous lawmakers and members of the public who want to know how they can help troubled dairy farmers.
“For consumers, the number one thing they can do is to buy local or Pennsylvania-produced and processed dairy products, especially milk,” Sebright said.
State Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding added in a press statement, “When you buy local milk, you’re investing in your community, your family and Pennsylvania’s economy,”
Most grocery stores, farm markets and convenience stores in Pennsylvania offer milk from Pennsylvania.
But not all milk on the shelves may be from Pennsylvania. Large retailers, especially, may also offer their own brands, which could be shipped from processing plants far away that don’t use Pennsylvania dairy farmers.
“There are probably some that carry both, and there may be some that may not carry any milk from Pennsylvania,” Sebright said. “You should consciously look to be sure.”
Sebright said the state does not track data to show what percentage of milk being sold in Pennsylvania comes from out of state.
By: AD CRABLE
Source: Lancaster Farming
Link: https://lancasteronline.com/news/local/want-to-help-struggling-dairy-farmers-here-s-how-to/article_8db8be82-5d2c-11e8-9be8-bfb18a0d13bf.html
