National Dairy Month

The Dairy Council of Arizona is a paid advertiser of Sonoran Living Live

Dairy: healthy people, healthy communities and a healthy planet
I am proud to provide a wholesome food for my family, friends and community as one of our nation’s 51,000 dairy farmers.   Each day, we wake up early to milk our cows, knowing that the end result is a nutritious product that can be part of a healthy diet for everyone.

One of the great challenges of the next generation will be providing nutritious, affordable food to a global population expected to grow to nine billion by 2050 - while using fewer resources. The dairy industry can be part of the solution. Not only are dairy products nutrient-rich, but they also are being produced using fewer resources which helps foster healthy people, healthy communities and a healthy planet.

Healthy People
·       Dairy can help make healthy eating easy. From childhood to adulthood, the dairy industry is committed to providing real, fresh and natural nutrient rich foods and beverages.
·       Many dairy farmers are parents, too. The dairy industry’s century-long commitment to children helps ensure they have the best chance at leading healthy, productive lives.
·       As the nation turns its attention to reducing calories and people struggle to be healthy, there is some good news-dairy foods can help. Dairy foods provide substantial nutrients per calorie, helping people make their calories count.

Healthy Communities
·       Every glass of milk and other dairy products contribute jobs, income and vitality to Arizona and hundreds of communities across the nation.
·       Three to four servings of milk and other dairy foods daily have a potential estimated health care cost savings of more than $214 billion over five years.
·       On average, Americans only consume about two servings of dairy daily. Adding one serving of dairy every day can help Americans get the nutrients they need in an easy and affordable way.

Healthy Planet
·       With economic, environmental and social challenges facing everyone today, dairy farm families are intent on doing their part by taking steps to reduce, reuse and recycle.
·       Dairy farmers are working to achieve their voluntary goal to reduce milk’s carbon footprint by 25% by 2020.
·       Building on their longstanding commitment to the environment, many dairy farmers recycle cow manure into natural fertilizer for cropland; compost for gardens in the community, bedding for their animals, and clean renewable energy.

Knowing that we are making this kind of difference is job satisfaction each morning when we wake up to start the milking process again.

The Dairy Council of Arizona is a paid advertiser of Sonoran Living Live