Where does milk come from? If you ask today's public, you will likely hear a variety of answers: The store, the factory, the list goes on. While many may answer correctly, they likely do not thoroughly understand the farm-to-table business behind their delicious dairy products. Fortunately, the many summertime fairs across our state create a working classroom environment for dairy education. Milking parlors, one facet of nearly every county fair in Wisconsin, naturally draw a captive audience.

The hustle and bustle of a day or week at the fair can be challenging. However, many motivated dairy groups are seizing this consumer-education opportunity by preparing beforehand. As a result, they're making a big impact with fairgoers. Pre-planning steps include writing an information-packed script and organizing a schedule of speakers up front. This ensures a thorough and consistent message during milking times at the fair.

Here are two examples of successful milking parlor classrooms:

Washington County
"In Washington County, we are very close to the state's largest urban population in Milwaukee. We use the milking parlor at the fair as one of many opportunities to reach the urban audience with dairy information," says Shelly Mayer, Washington County dairy producer and dairy leader.

In 2004, Washington County introduced its Junior Dairy Ambassador program. Two teenage dairy project members are selected each year to spread the dairy story throughout the region. The pair conducts media interviews and also visits classrooms, legislative offices and selected public events. At the Washington County Fair, the Junior Dairy Ambassadors speak with the public during key milking times. "Our ambassadors break down the numbers and really show people how the dairy industry affects them in ways they might never have thought of, " Mayer says.

Washington County youth cover three main topics: "Our Dairy Industry," "What does the Dairy Industry Mean for Washington County?" and "Milk is Good for You." The nutrition messages in the last segment are a perfect segue into the free milk the ambassadors provide at the end of each presentation. "We reward the people who stay and really listen to the whole presentation," Mayer says.

Wisconsin State Fair
The Wisconsin State Fair welcomes nearly one-million visitors during its eleven-day stint each year. Three years ago, the dairy barns at State Fair Park underwent a facelift and a new milking parlor was constructed. The 16-stall DeLaval parlor is set up to milk 10 cows in the back parlor, two in the treatment area and four in the viewer education area.

"With such a beautiful new facility, developing educational presentations was a natural next step," says Susan Crane Agricultural Marketing Director for WE Energies and member of the State Fair Dairy Promotion Board. "State Fair is a fun event for families to attend. While they are attending the fair, they can stop for a rest near the milking facility while we give them interesting dairy facts to take away with them," she says.

Outside of the parlor, there are bleachers for 150 people who can watch one of four educational demonstrations each day. In all, 44 different audiences see the milking parlor presentation during the fair. "That's a great number of people who now know a little bit more about dairy," Crane says.

Each year, a new script is written, updating the facts and information that was presented the year before. Topics include: milk processing; dairy's impact on our communities, dairy history and nutrition facts. Dairy industry fun-facts are sprinkled throughout. A profile of Foremost Farms, USA, the parlor's naming sponsor, is also part of the presentation.

Volunteers from the dairy industry serve as teachers in the parlor four times each day. They are asked to explain the milking process and then follow the written script. They are also given the opportunity to explain how their dairy operation or company plays into the dairy business. Each presentation lasts about 20 minutes and ends with an open question and answer session. "The questions are very broad," Crane says. "They range from animal welfare, to nutrition, to industry-related questions."

Whether your fair attracts urban residents or your rural neighbors, the milking parlor can serve as an ideal platform for sharing dairy industry messages with all Wisconsin residents. After all, the dairy industry employs nearly five percent of the people in our state and fuels our economy at the rate of more than $39,000 per minute. Sharing such messages will help bring a better understanding of our $20.6 billion industry by all Wisconsin residents.

For Wisconsin Dairy Impact information, email or call Moriah Morris at 800-373-9662.

UW-Extension offers full-color brochures of county-specific agricultural and dairy statistics.