Chef Finalists Announced for CADairy2Go!

Real California Milk Foodservice Announces Chef Finalist For CADairy2Go

Finalists compete for over $22,000 in prizes for innovative use of California dairy

The California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB) today announced chef finalists in the inaugural CADairy2Go foodservice competition – a spotlight on “to-go” meal innovation. The competition, which will award prize money totaling $22,500 for creative use of California cheese and dairy in off premise dishes, will culminate with a live cook off event July 28^th at the Culinary Institute of America in Napa, Calif.

Inspired by chefs and foodservice operators who made quick, creative pivots to adjust menus for the takeout and delivery model during the pandemic, the Real California Milk Foodservice Team invited 12 culinary professionals to compete in the CADairy2Go preliminary round. This list was winnowed to six finalist chefs and their creations to compete in a live cook-off event July 28^th at the Culinary Institute of America’s Copia location in Napa, Calif.

During the live event, emceed by “Check, Please! Bay Area” host, Leslie Sbrocco, dishes will be evaluated by a panel of three leading culinary professionals: Barbara Alexander, Certified Executive Chef and Certified Culinary Educator from the American Culinary Association; Neil Doherty, Corporate Executive Chef – Sr. Director of Culinary Development at Sysco; and Duskie Estes, Culinary Personality, Chef and Co-owner of Black Pig Meat Co. and MacBryde Farm.

The 2021 CADairy2Go finalists are:

In the “Cheese+Mac” category, Carrie Baird of Rose’s Classic Americana in Boulder, Colo., preparing Skipjack & Cheesy Mac, a dish inspired by what she cooks for herself with a variety of tastes and textures including four California cheeses, skipjack tuna, charred broccoli, peas and corn along with togarashi, sriracha and furikake seasoning. She will compete against Alex Sadowsky of Twin Peaks in Dallas, Texas, who will showcase California Cacio e Pepe Cheese and Mac, a twist on the classic “cheese and pepper” dish using triple cream California brie and a California manchego.

Under “Cal-Mex”, Gina Galvan of Mood for Food Consulting in San Juan Capistrano, Calif. brings inspiration from family travels to Ensenada to her Surf & Turf Torta entry made with California panela cheese and lobster grilled in adobo butter, skirt steak, chorizo and California cotija cheese fries. Her competitor, Mary Grace Viado of Village Tavern in Birmingham, Ala., will showcase Mexi-Cali Shrimp Scampi, featuring cubes of blackened California panela and served with homemade arepas.

In the “Innovate to Go” category, Marti Lieberman of Mac Mart in Philadelphia, Pa. will be presenting her Rangoon-inspired entry, Mac’n Snax, which brings portability to her five-cheese, ranch mac and cheese made ready for easy snacking or entertaining. She will face off against Brian Mullins of Ms. Cheezious^® in Miami, Fla. who marries grilled cheese with fresh California mozzarella, cheesy pesto and a California Dry Jack cheese frico coating in his Frico Pesto Melt, a partnership of cheesy, gooey and crunchy.

The cook off, hosted July 28^th at the CIA’s Copia facility in Napa, will be streamed on Facebook live at 10:30 a.m. PT (Cheese+Mac), 12:30 p.m. PT (Cal-Mex), and 2:30 p.m. PT (Innovate To-Go) at facebook.com/realcamilkfoodservice. Additional details on the competition and the chef competitors is available at CADairy2Go.

“We were inspired by the creations of the CADairy2Go chefs who really pushed themselves to create recipes that not only spotlight the best of California dairy but also hold up to the rigors of takeout and delivery to ensure a positive consumer experience,” said Nancy Campbell, Business Development consultant for CMAB Foodservice. “This is where dairy shines, bringing flavor and functionality to foodservice operators in an affordable package.”

As the nation’s largest dairy state, California boasts a long list of cheesemakers and dairy processors that are further driving to-go dining innovation. California leads the nation in milk production and is responsible for producing more butter, ice cream and nonfat dry milk than any other state. The state is the second-largest producer of cheese and yogurt. California milk and dairy foods can be identified by the Real California Milk seal, which certifies they are made exclusively with sustainably sourced milk from the state’s dairy farm families.

California is a reliable, consistent source of sustainable dairy products used by chefs throughout the world. Check out the CMAB’s REAL Makers chefs who rely on California dairy for their dishes.

California Ag Today2021-07-15T10:18:19-07:00July 15th, 2021|

Dairy Waste Turns To Electricity

Dairy Generates Electricity

By Tim Hammerich with the Ag Information Network

A lot of great things come from your local dairy: milk, cheese, and ice cream, just to name a few. But some dairy producers like Modesto-based Brian Fiscalini are also supplying their community with electricity.

“What we do is we collect the waste from our farm. So we collect all of the cow manure, we collect any spoiled feed, and then we also bring in a few waste streams from other industries that would normally either go into a landfill or would have to travel quite far for someone to be able to process,” said Fiscalini.

This waste is stored in concrete tanks and the lid captures methane gas.

“Then what we do is we convert that methane gas, with the help of an internal combustion engine, into electricity. So that electricity is used to power our facility as well as selling electricity to our local utility, which equates to enough power to take care of 300 homes in our community,” noted Fiscalini.

This is one more way that our California farmers are providing us with delicious food, and a whole lot more.

California Ag Today2021-01-11T16:47:17-08:00January 11th, 2021|

Lagrange is New Director of Dairy Innovation Center

Veronique Lagrange Appointed Director of the California Dairy Innovation Center

The California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB), the marketing order representing California dairy producers, today announced the addition of Veronique Lagrange as the Director of the California Dairy Innovation Center (CDIC).

The CDIC was recently created to further product-oriented innovation and enhance productivity for the California dairy industry. Working closely with the CMAB and the California Dairy Research Foundation (CDRF), Lagrange will act as a liaison for researchers, educators, business development representatives, and processors interested in innovation efforts.

Most recently Lagrange held the position of Director of Business Development for the American Dairy Products Institute (ADPI), where she also chaired the Center of Excellence; as well as several industry taskforces. She also spearheaded The Strong Inside campaign, and served as a subject matter expert for business strategies, nutrition and scientific matters; in addition to the organizer of technical programs and conferences.

Lagrange previously held roles at the US Dairy Export Council (USDEC), which included Senior Vice President of Business Development, Strategies and Insights, and Director of International Marketing. Furthermore, she has conducted food technology programs for the California Raisin Advisory Board, Almond Board of California, and National Honey Board.

“Veronique will be a tremendous asset to California dairy innovation, as she brings a breadth of experience and skills to our team”, said John Talbot, CEO of the CMAB. “At both ADPI and USDEC, Veronique has had valuable experience with the research and development of dairy products and ingredients. She is extremely knowledgeable of their applications and functionality in manufacturing, as well as their vital role in the export business, which is very important to us.”

“It is truly an honor to have this opportunity for leadership of this unique program, which will be guided by the goals and priorities established by a cross-industry committee. I look forward to being an active partner and advocate within the dairy community to promote innovation and also to support the development of the workforce which will, in turn, ensure the global competitiveness of the California dairy industry in the future,” said Lagrange.

CDRF is pleased to welcome Veronique as the new director of the CDIC,” said Denise Mullinax, Executive Director of CDRF. “We look forward to collaborating with her in the expansion of research in the areas of innovation and development on behalf of the California dairy industry.”

Lagrange received her BS and MS degrees in Food Science from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. She also holds a degree in Nutrition from Ecole de Medecine, Paris, France, and a Doctorate degree in Engineering Management from George Washington University, Washington D.C. In addition to these accolades, Lagrange completed the Executive Program on Managing Technical Professionals and Organizations at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sloan School of Management, as well as the Digital Marketing Program at the Yale University School of Management.

California is the nation’s leading milk producer. It also produces more butter, ice cream and nonfat dry milk than any other state. The state is the second-largest producer of cheese and yogurt. California milk and dairy foods can be identified by the Real California Milk seal, which certifies they are made exclusively with milk from the state’s dairy farm families.

California Ag Today2020-12-10T13:16:20-08:00December 10th, 2020|

Dairy Waste Turns To Electricity

Dairy Generates Electricity

By Tim Hammerich with the Ag Information Network

A lot of great things come from your local dairy: milk, cheese, and ice cream, just to name a few. But some dairy producers like Modesto-based Brian Fiscalini are also supplying their community with electricity.

“What we do is we collect the waste from our farm. So we collect all of the cow manure, we collect any spoiled feed, and then we also bring in a few waste streams from other industries that would normally either go into a landfill or would have to travel quite far for someone to be able to process,” said Fiscalini.

This waste is stored in concrete tanks and the lid captures methane gas.

“Then what we do is we convert that methane gas, with the help of an internal combustion engine, into electricity. So that electricity is used to power our facility as well as selling electricity to our local utility, which equates to enough power to take care of 300 homes in our community,” noted Fiscalini.

This is one more way that our California farmers are providing us with delicious food, and a whole lot more.

California Ag Today2020-12-09T18:24:14-08:00December 9th, 2020|

A Decisive Victory for Small Dairy Farms in California

“This ruling ends a cynical back door attempt to illegally take assets from dairy farmers.” – Niall McCarthy, Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy

SACRAMENTO CA—A decisive victory for small family dairy farms was won this week in what has been called a civil war in the California dairy industry. In a proceeding before The California Department of Food and Agriculture, Administrative Law Judge Timothy J. Aspinwall issued a much-awaited decision on a petition that could have put hundreds of California family dairy farms out of business. Fortunately for those farms, the administrative law judge ruled that the petition, which sought to eliminate California’s milk quota system was “not legally valid” and recommends that Secretary of Food and Agriculture Karen Ross deny the petition in its entirety.

The petition sought to terminate the 50-year-old California milk quota system—a huge asset for the California dairy industry that is worth hundreds of millions of dollars and owned by most of the state’s dairy farms, especially smaller family-run farms. The decision is a huge win for California dairy farms that have invested their revenue to purchase quota, and whose survival hung in the balance. As dozens of farmers testified at the hearing in June, terminating quota would have robbed them of their and their families’ decades of hard work seized one of their most valuable assets without paying them any compensation, forced them out of business, resulting in huge lay-offs, and thrown the state’s dairy industry into financial chaos. Examples of the testimony are:

Terminating quota would be “financially catastrophic” and is a “matter of life or death for our dairy.” – Maia Cipponeri, a fourth-generation dairy farmer from Merced County

“If quota were suddenly terminated, I would be immediately plunged into severe debt that I could not pay . . . . In addition to financial ruin, this would ruin my son’s dream of continuing the family of California dairymen.” – Frank Borges, a third-generation dairy farmer from San Joaquin County

A group of farmers who successfully opposed the petition throughout these proceedings were represented by the law firm of Cotchett, Pitre, and McCarthy, LLP.

“This ruling ends a cynical back door attempt to illegally take assets from dairy farmers.” – Niall McCarthy, Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy

Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy engages exclusively in litigation and trials and has earned a national reputation for its dedication to prosecuting or defending socially just actions. To learn more about the firm, visit www.cpmlegal.com.

California Ag Today2021-05-12T11:17:06-07:00July 29th, 2020|

Federal Dietary Committee Recommends 3 Daily Servings of Dairy

Dairy in Healthy Foods Category with Fruits, Veggies, Legumes, Whole Grains

The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) released the following statement recently:

“Today, members of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee (DGAC) confirmed dairy products should maintain a central, important role in federal nutrition recommendations for people beginning at a very early age. In addition to maintaining three servings of dairy per day, the committee found strong evidence pointing to positive health outcomes from dairy foods. In fact, a diet including low-fat and fat-free dairy, legumes, whole grains, fruits and vegetables is considered the ideal, healthy dietary pattern for all ages.

“In other key findings from their draft scientific report presented today, the DGAC highlighted new evidence strengthening dairy’s role in maintaining bone health for adults. For mothers, the committee dispelled misinformation about dairy’s link to asthma, saying there is no association between a mother’s consumption of dairy and the development of asthma in children.

And a new topic introduced in these Dietary Guidelines lays the groundwork for clearer nutrition recommendations for children from birth through 24 months of age, with the experts recommending small amounts of some foods including dairy foods, alongside fruits and vegetables, nut and seed products, and whole grain products, beginning at 6-12 months and continuing thereafter.

For toddlers, dairy foods are particularly important for the vitamins and nutrients they provide. This recommendation could not be clearer, demonstrating what the American Academy of Pediatrics has stressed for years, that dairy plays a critical role in the diet of children to bolster long-term health.

“Once again, the committee found no linkage between consumption of dairy foods and incidences of breast cancer, which should put an end to a longstanding disinformation campaign to alarm and confuse the public.

“IDFA is disappointed that the reported outcomes today did not include a mention of relevant scientific studies which show the benefits of dairy at each fat level. There is robust evidence to support the inclusion of dairy foods at all fat levels in recommended food patterns. With the DGAC’s role coming to an end, IDFA encourages USDA and HHS to remedy this oversight in the final guidelines to be released this year.

“The conclusions offered today by the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee firmly establish dairy as one of the most nutritionally beneficial foods in dietary patterns alongside fruits and vegetables, legumes, and whole grains. IDFA is pleased to see federal nutrition guidance continue to affirm the important nutritional contributions made by dairy foods and remind Americans that a healthy diet includes three daily servings of dairy.”

California Ag Today2020-06-26T08:41:39-07:00June 26th, 2020|

Helping Dairy Operators Protect Groundwater

UCCE Advisor Helps Dairy Operators Strike a Delicate Balance to Protect Groundwater

By Jeannnette Warnert, Communications Specialist, UCANR

UC Cooperative Extension advisor Nick Clark is helping farmers in Fresno, Kings and Tulare counties.

Over the last 20 years, UC research has shown that dairies in the San Joaquin and Sacramento valleys are potentially major contributors of nitrate and salts in groundwater. To maintain the quality of this irreplaceable natural resource, the California Water Resources Control Board has ramped up regulations to ensure that diary manure and wastewater application isn’t contaminating the aquifer.

UC Cooperative Extension advisor Nick Clark is helping farmers in Fresno, Kings and Tulare counties work through the process and continue producing crops sustainably now and in the future. He was hired in 2015 as the agronomy and nutrient management advisor, a title that reflects the importance of understanding the nutrient cycle and extending information to producers. Three other UCCE advisors are also focused on nutrient management.

Clark is working with dairy farmers who are producing crops to feed their herds, as well as farmers who are producing agronomic crops – such as silage corn, forage sorghum, wheat, triticale, alfalfa, rye and oats – to sell to dairies.

“These farmers operate under the microscope of several agencies for complying with environmental regulations and ordinances,” Clark said. Clark informs growers about the fate of nutrients in plants and soil and rules in place to protect water quality, helping them stay in compliance with government regulations. “Water quality regulations are becoming more strict, more complex and more specific.”

At the same time, some of the finer details about nutrient availability are not yet well understood.

Working closely with Luhdorff and Scalmanini Consulting Engineers, a groundwater engineering and consulting firm, Clark and colleagues have set up research trials on four commercial dairies in the San Joaquin Valley and one semi-research dairy farm to replicate a variety of treatments.

“The idea is to take a much closer look at nitrogen cycling in soil and plants to develop precise data about when plant development allows the crop to take up nitrogen,” Clark said. “The nitrogen application needs to be made so it is in the form plants need when the plants can use it. Otherwise, there is an increased chance it can percolate below the root zone and, eventually, into groundwater.”

Nutrient cycling involves advanced science. The majority of nitrogen content of manure is bound up in an organic molecule, which is not plant available. Plants only take up mineral forms of nitrogen – ammonium or nitrate. When the manure is in the soil, its chemistry changes. Timing by which this happens, Clark said, is extremely variable. Composition of manure, air and soil temperature, soil moisture, and soil microbiota all come into play.

“The research is trying to elicit information for Central Valley dairy farmers as to the best time, best rate and methods of application in order to fertilize crops without losing nitrogen to the groundwater,” Clark said.

Another factor that dairy farmers will have to consider is the implementation of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. The law, passed by the California Legislature during the 2011-2016 drought, creates local agencies to monitor groundwater extraction and bring that into balance with groundwater replenishment.

Diary operators are facing these new groundwater quality and quantity regulations at the same time new pressures from climate change are impacting their operations. Clark and his colleagues are also addressing climate change mitigation, adaption and resilience.

“We are looking into alternative feed crops for dairies that might help reduce the amount of irrigation water required to grow crops without sacrificing animal nutrition and milk yield,” Clark said.

One promising option is sorghum. UC Cooperative Extension scientists Jennifer Heguy, Jeffery Dahlberg and Deanne Meyer have been collecting data for a number of years on the crop’s nutritional value and impact on milk yield. Another potential feed crop is climate-resilient sugar beets.

“Sugar beets have been used in other parts of the United States and the world as cattle feed, but not as much in the San Joaquin Valley,” Clark said.

He is working with UC Cooperative Extension agronomy specialist Steven Kaffka and UCCE animal science specialist Peter Robinson to refine knowledge about sugar beet production under Central California conditions.

“Sugar beets grow readily in the winter in California, so we can take advantage of winter rainfall and a low irrigation requirement. That may help mitigate climate change impacts,” Clark said.

Climate change mitigation may also be achieved on dairy farms by modifying manure application timing and procedure. Applications of manure to cropland has an impact on emission of nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas 300 times more potent than carbon dioxide. Reducing the amount of manure applications on cropland and incorporating manure solids into the soil may be ways for dairy farmers to reduce their facilities’ greenhouse gas emissions.

“We need to know a whole lot more to help farmers to stay in compliance and to deal with farming under new constraints,” Clark said. “Our research objectives are never static, because everything is shifting so quickly.”

California Ag Today2021-05-12T11:17:07-07:00April 14th, 2020|

New Officers Elected for Milk Advisory Board

Newly Elected:

California Milk Advisory Board 2020 Executive Committee Officers

Newly elected 2020 officers of the California Milk Advisory Board Executive Committee are (top row, left to right): Vice Chairman Tony Louters of Merced, Chairman Josh Zonneveld of Laton, Treasurer David Vander Schaaf of Stockton, Shown in the bottom row (left to right): Member-at-Large Essie Bootsma of Lakeview, Secretary Megan Silva of Escalon, Member-at-Large Kirsten Areias of Los Banos, and Member-at-Large Renae DeJager of Chowchilla.

San Joaquin County dairy producer, David Vander Schaaf, has been elected to serve as treasurer to the Executive Committee of the California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB), the promotional arm of the state’s dairy farmers.

David is a fourth-generation dairy farmer at Vander Schaaf Dairy, which was established in 1929. David joined the family business in partnership with brothers Joey and James, as well as father John Vander Schaaf in 2013. He is a member of the Milk Producers Council.

Dairy producer Renae DeJager of Merced County has been re-elected as Member-at-Large to the Executive Committee of the California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB), the promotional arm of the state’s dairy farmers.

Renae and husband Art are owners of 1500-acre Vista Verde Dairy, which was established in 1977 and where they currently milk 3,200 Holsteins. She is an active member of her community and serves a variety of community groups including California Women for AG, Stone Ridge Christian School Board and Cornerstone Community Church in Chowchilla. She previously served on the board for the U.S. Dairy Export Council and the National Dairy Promotion and Research Board where she traveled extensively to promote dairy in domestic and international markets.

Lakeview dairy producer Essie Bootsma has elected to serve as Member-at-Large to the Executive Committee of the California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB), the promotional arm of the state’s dairy farmers.

Essie milks 2,000 Holsteins with her son Jason at the John Bootsma Dairy that she started with her husband, John, in 1979. She is a member of a variety of community groups, including the Western Riverside Ag Coalition, where she serves as secretary, the Eastern Municipal Water District Advisory Committee and the Eastern Municipal Dairy Water Supply, where she serves as chair. She previously served as Secretary to the CMAB’s Executive Committee. In her free time, Essie enjoys representing CMAB in promotional trade shows, spending time with her five grandchildren and cooking for and entertaining family and friends.

Fresno County dairy producer Josh Zonneveld has been re-elected to serve as Chairman of the Executive Committee of the California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB), the promotional arm of the state’s dairy farmers.

Josh and his wife Cassie along with other family members currently milk 8,500 Holsteins at the 7,000-acre Zonneveld Dairies that his grandfather founded in 1968. He joined the family business in 2005. He is a member of the Ag Executive Council for Land O’ Lakes and also serves on the board for the California Dairy Research Foundation.

Dairy producer Kirsten Areias of Los Banos in Merced County, has been re-elected to serve as Member-at-Large to the Executive Committee of the California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB), the promotional arm of the state’s dairy farmers.

Kirsten has been a dairy producer since 1980 and currently milks 320 Holsteins with husband Dennis at the 360-acre Den-K Holsteins, Inc. She is a member of a variety of industry groups, including Western United Dairyman, serves as an advisor for the California Holstein Association and Merced County Junior Holstein Association, and is a Dairy Bowl Coach.

Dairy producer Megan Silva of Escalon in San Joaquin County has been elected to serve as Secretary to the Executive Committee of the California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB), the promotional arm of the state’s dairy farmers.

Megan graduated from Cal Poly in 2006 and is a 4^th generation dairy farmer. Megan and husband Johnny Silva, along with her father Frank Rocha, currently milk 2100 Holsteins at the 900-acre Frank N. Rocha Dairy L.P., where she has worked since 2006. Megan and Johnny started their own dairy, R & S Dairy LLC. in May of last year. She is also extremely passionate about the fitness and wellness industries, and shares these passions through her two businesses in Escalon; EscalonFIT and Wellness by EscalonFIT.

Merced dairy producer Tony Louters has been re-elected to serve as Vice Chairman to the Executive Committee of the California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB), the promotional arm of the state’s dairy farmers.

Tony and his wife Corinna own T & C Louters Dairy in Merced where they currently milk 600 Holsteins. They have been in business since 2003 and have four children: Alexis, Bryce, Tyler and Breann. Tony is a member of Western United Dairymen.

California is the nation’s leading fluid milk producer and a leader in sustainable dairy practices. The state also produces more butter and nonfat dry milk than any other state and is the second-largest producer of cheese and yogurt. Dairy products made with California milk can be identified by the Real California Milk seal, which certifies that the products are made with milk produced on California dairy farms.

California Ag Today2020-04-12T21:34:02-07:00April 10th, 2020|

Former California Dairies CEO Is Honored

Andrei Mikhalevsky, Former President and CEO of California Dairies, Inc., Receives Inaugural IDFA Laureate Award

Andrei Mikhalevsky, former president and CEO of California Dairies, Inc., was greeted by a standing ovation and the acknowledgement of hundreds of his peers from across the dairy industry when he received the inaugural IDFA Laureate Award today during the association’s annual Dairy Forum in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Presented by the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA), the IDFA Laureate Award is given to a leader in the dairy industry who has made significant, prolonged contributions to the development and growth of dairy. Candidates from across the dairy industry as well as suppliers and academics are eligible, and the awardee is chosen by a panel of industry professionals.

California Dairies Inc. (CDI) is the nation’s second largest dairy processing cooperative. Mr. Mikhalevsky was named president and CEO in November 2011 and began serving his term on Jan. 1, 2012, retiring at the end of 2019 after 8 years leading CDI.

Mr. Mikhalevsky’s career spans more than 40 years, and he has held a variety of leadership positions within the dairy industry. Previously, he served as the managing director of global ingredients and foodservices at Fonterra Cooperative Group Ltd., the world’s largest dairy exporter. Mikhalevsky built many of Fonterra’s global customer partnerships and oversaw the company’s research and innovation division and its branded business in Latin America. Prior to Fonterra, Mikhalevsky held executive positions at Campbell Soup Company, Georgia Pacific Corp. and Symrise Inc. He is a graduate of Stetson University where majored in finance and earned a Bachelor of Business Administration. In addition, he has attended the Food Executive Program at the University of Southern California.

Mr. Mikhalevsky currently serves as a director on the IDFA Executive Council and as chair of the IDFA Diary Ingredients Board.

“In selecting Andrei for this award, our panel recognized a true leader and innovator in the dairy industry, a professional who is respected by peers and competitors alike, and a partner and ally to anyone working on behalf of successful, sustainable dairy industry,” said Michael Dykes, D.V.M., president and CEO of IDFA.”

Dykes added, “For his service to our industry and to IDFA, we are proud to present Andrei Mikhalevsky with the very first IDFA Laureate Award.”

California Ag Today2020-01-26T20:14:46-08:00January 27th, 2020|

Consumers Prefer Dairy Milk over Other Plant Based Choices

Survey Says 86% of US Adults Prefer Dairy Milk

A new Morning Consult national tracking poll of 2,200 Americans points to a number of revealing consumer preferences for milk and related beverages. When given the option to choose among whole, reduced fat 2%, low fat 1%, skim, other (almond, soy, oat, other plant-based, lactose-free), or “do not consume” milk, respondents overwhelmingly chose 2% and whole milks because they believe they are most nutritious for themselves and their families. Further, 86% of U.S. adults prefer dairy milk over “other” beverages, including plant-based beverages.

Additionally, by a margin of more than 2-1, U.S. adults say it’s important to offer low-fat flavored milks with school meals; and by a 3-1 margin, U.S. adults say it’s important to offer 2% and whole milk with school meals. The poll was conducted by Morning Consult in partnership with the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA).

Poll Results

Here are 8 key findings:

1. A whopping 67% of adults across key demographics believe 2% and whole milk are the most nutritious types of milk. Thirty-six percent of adults believe 2% milk is the most nutritious, while 31% believe whole milk is the most nutritious.
2. At least 86% of adults prefer dairy milk compared to 10% who prefer “other” including plant-based beverages and lactose-free milk.
3. Strong opinions about offering flavored milk in schools vastly outweigh strong opinions against. Half of the adults believe it is important that the public school their child attends offers low-fat flavored milk with school meals, while just 22% believe it is unimportant. Twenty-nine percent have no opinion.
4. Adults feel similarly about fuller-fat milk with school meals—by a 3-1 margin, U.S. adults say it’s important to offer 2% and whole milk with school meals: 53% believe it is important that milks like 2% and whole are offered in schools, while just 18% feel it is unimportant. Currently, only low fat 1% and skim milks are allowed in schools.
5. Overall, more women than men believe it is more important that their children have access to fuller-fat and flavored milks in school.
6. Forty-two percent of SNAP participants prefer whole milk for themselves or their families. SNAP participants also report that they believe whole milk is the most nutritious (46%), the only demographic to do so. Of the 2,200 respondents, 336 self-identified as SNAP participants.
7. Respondents with incomes under $50,000 (inclusive of 336 SNAP and 115 WIC participants, respectively, who self-identified) believe more strongly than those with higher incomes (above $50,000) that fuller-fat milks are most nutritious and prefer offering these options as well as low-fat flavored milks in schools for their children.
8. Variety is key: More than three-quarters (77%) of adults found it important to have a variety of options to choose from when purchasing types of milk.

California Ag Today2021-05-12T11:17:08-07:00September 6th, 2019|