The dairy industry’s checkoff’s strategy of working with partners grew category-wide, sustainable dairy sales in 2013.
Leaders of the U.S. dairy industry point to the dairy checkoff program as a reason for expanding consumption. More than 12 billion additional pounds of dairy have been sold through checkoff partnerships over the last five years, according to the American Dairy Association Mideast. Annual U.S. per capita consumption of total milk is an estimated 604 pounds (milkfat basis), compared to 541 in 1981, which was before the national checkoff program was created.
«Much of this growth is made possible through the financial resources, expertise and other assets from processors, manufacturers, foodservice companies, retailers and others that work with the checkoff to maintain and grow sales,» the group reports. «By working with leaders we’re growing sustained, category-wide dairy sales that can make a difference. The targeted and collaborative partnerships create a win-win scenario for the dairy checkoff, its partners and the entire industry.»
Specific 2013 results include:
*About 10 billion pounds of additional milk have moved through the pizza category since the checkoff began partnering with Domino’s five years ago. Successes include the Domino’s® Smart Slice line of school lunch pizza, now available in more than 450 districts in 39 states, including Ohio.
*McDonald’s used more than 1.7 billion pounds of additional milk through dairy-friendly items between 2009 and 2011.
*The checkoff helped Taco Bell introduce double steak quesadillas and fancy cheese shreds that led to a 4-percent increase in dairy volume at the chain. DMI has provided an on-site dairy scientist, among other resources. The chain plans to launch a dairy-based breakfast menu in 2014 that will help grow Taco Bell’s dairy sales by 5 percent.
*The checkoff is leading the industry’s largest fluid milk action plan ever to slow and reverse sales declines through product and distribution innovation that will drive more consumers more frequently to the dairy case. The checkoff has invested $9 million; processors’ combined total is $81 million, a figure that could grow by the hundreds of millions the next several years.
*A Quaker-led promotion that encouraged consumers to use milk instead of water when preparing oatmeal led to a 5% increase in fluid milk sales in 1,400 Safeway stores.
*The Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy, which producers founded in 2008, trained more than 1,200 industry staff members in food safety to minimize risk and protect dairy sales. The Innovation Center also helped secure nearly $10 million in grants from USDA for research to support the Farm Smart tool to help producers assess their management practices.
*ADA Mideast conducted a food safety cheesemaking program for artisan and farmstead cheesemakers earlier in the year. More than 75 cheesemakers from Ohio and five other states participated in the one-day workshop. The organization continues to showcase real Ohio dairy farmers and give consumers a firsthand look inside the operations of today’s dairy farms through its Meet Ohio Dairy Farmers public education campaign. Now in its fifth year, the campaign includes several new videos, an interactive dairy farm tour, an animated journey of milk from farm to fridge, and new dairy farmer profiles.
*Fuel Up to Play 60, which the dairy checkoff created in 2008, is the nation’s largest in-school wellness program, with more than 73,000 schools enrolled. More than 40,000 students are engaged in Fuel Up to Play 60 in Ohio and West Virginia, representing more than 3,800 schools, with 2,100 adult leaders active in guiding the students.
*Chocolate milk continues to be the Official Beverage of the Ohio High School Athletic Association. ADA Mideast partnered with OHSAA to educate coaches, student athletes, parents and fans about the nutritional benefits of drinking milk
*The U.S. Dairy Export Council helped exporters capitalize on steady global demand, declining production from other suppliers and favorable pricing to ship record volume – at record values – in 2013. U.S. exports are estimated to total $6.2 billion, compared to $5.2 billion in 2012.
Source: FarmProgress