Telling the Wisconsin Dairy Story
Byline: Mark Christenson, WMMB District 24 (Dane and Jefferson counties)

Wisconsin is America's Dairyland! Our state is home to nearly 20 percent of the nation's dairy farms. The milk from our farms – more than 99 percent are family-owned businesses – gives our 200 cheese and dairy processors the ability to craft more than 600 varieties, types and styles of cheese and hundreds of other nutritious dairy and food products. And more than 160,000 of our state's residents are employed within our extensive dairy industry. Although our strong heritage and dairying expertise is recognized world wide, it remains vital that we all continue to share the Wisconsin dairy story with our friends, neighbors and visitors to our communities.

During June Dairy Month and throughout the year, Wisconsin dairy farm families willingly open their farms and businesses for educational tours and fun days on the farm. In 63 of Wisconsin's 72 counties, volunteers involved with our County Dairy Leader Groups (CLDGs) are helping to showcase why dairy is important to our state and our communities. Children and grownups alike enjoy these opportunities, making farm tours and dairy education an important way to communicate where our quality dairy foods come from.

The Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board (WMMB) offers a wide variety of resources that help dairy farm families share the story of their dairy farm and highlight the important role that everyone in the dairy industry plays in their local communities and in our state. Each year, WMMB publishes a new dairy promotion materials catalog which is filled with promotional items that help tell the Wisconsin dairy story. The catalog offers items such as pencils, activity books, stickers and colorful erasers that make excellent handouts or prizes at events and farm tours. Clothing and gift items such as shirts, jackets, baseball caps, CowParade Wisconsin figurines and cuddly cows are also available.

For your next farm tour, presentation or special event, WMMB can furnish a wide variety of Wisconsin dairy educational materials. Items include full-color postcard sets complete with educational dairy messages, magnets depicting the importance of our state's $20.6 billion industry, and a large folded state map – A Traveler's Guide to America's Dairyland – that highlights the many Wisconsin cheesemakers and retail shops, as well as "cheesy" destinations for visitors exploring America's Dairyland.

Dairy producers can also visit WMMB's producer website to download a Wisconsin farm tour kit. The kit contains up-to-date dairy data, common dairy questions and answers and ideas for group activities. WMMB also offers dairy fact brochures, activity booklets, pencils, postcards and plastic "America's Dairyland" bags free to Wisconsin dairy producers planning an on-farm activity, allowing tour goers to learn more about Wisconsin's signature industry.

If you're hosting a tour group on your farm or planning a dairy-related presentation to your local civic group or community organization, consider sharing these facts about the economic importance of our dairy industry:

• The dairy industry adds more than $20.6 billion to the state's economy each year.
• Each Wisconsin dairy cow contributes over $17,000 per year in economic activity.
• Our state is home to more on-farm bio-energy systems than any other state, providing renewable power for over 7,500 homes – enough energy to power a community the size of Jefferson, Wisconsin.

These are just a few of the facts contained in two dairy impact brochures from WMMB that highlight the tremendous contribution the dairy industry makes to our state's economy and the lives of our citizens. A number of informational "America's Dairyland" videos are also available for producers and educators and make great additions to any presentation or farm tour.

The next time you're planning a farm tour or making a presentation in your community, share a piece of America's Dairyland. To request a catalog or to find out more about WMMB's farm tour and presentation resources or the Wisconsin County Dairy Leader Group program, call the WMMB office at 800-373-9662 or e-mail us at producer@wmmb.org.

Mark Christenson represents District 24 (Dane and Jefferson counties) on the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board. Mark and his wife, Dorothy, farm in Lake Mills. He is actively involved with the Jefferson County Dairy Leader Group and the Jefferson County Leaders Board.