In honor of Earth Day, Midwest Dairy is celebrating the power of partnership and shared values with two sustainability-focused events in South Dakota, highlighting dairy’s environmental progress and local impact.
At the University of South Dakota’s (USD) Earth Day Fair, Midwest Dairy partnered with the Department of Sustainability & Environment, the Environmental Club, and Sodexo to host “Taste Local, Talk Sustainability” — a flavorful and educational experience, The event offered more than 250 students samples of creamy spinach dip made with local dairy and produce. It featured cream and cream cheese donated by Prairie Farms and Parmesan cheese from Agropur, all served on freshly baked bread.
More than a snack stop, the event offered students the chance to engage with dairy farmer Riley Boadwine and learn how dairy supports sustainability, animal care, and strong nutritional contributions. To extend the event’s impact, two student leaders and partner organizations promoted it to an additional 5,000 followers on campus social media channels.
This event is just one piece of a larger relationship Midwest Dairy has cultivated with USD’s Department of Sustainability and Environment. The partnership includes class lectures, student projects, and even a multi-year research assistantship examining Gen Z environmental beliefs.
In Sioux Falls, Midwest Dairy continued its partnership with Friends of the Big Sioux River at the Earth Day River Clean-Up. The event featured a cheese pairing station and celebrated the launch of “Big Sioux Brew,” a unique beer brewed by Remedy Brewing Company using purified water from the Big Sioux River.
Volunteers, board members, and community members gathered to enjoy the local flavors and engage in meaningful conversations with South Dakota State University (SDSU) dairy ambassadors about dairy’s role in sustainability.
The partnership doesn’t stop there. Friends of the Big Sioux River is launching a podcast this year that will include an episode featuring a local dairy farmer, spotlighting real-life sustainability efforts happening on farms today. They also continue to distribute cow pots (plantable pots made from composted manure) containing native prairie grass seeds and dairy messaging, bringing the story full circle to classrooms and consumers. Whether it’s reaching college students with local food connections or engaging environmental advocates during river conservation events, these Earth Day activations demonstrate the power of collaboration. Midwest Dairy is proud to work with partners who value transparency, education, and environmental stewardship, ultimately uniting for a shared purpose: to celebrate and advance sustainable agriculture.