Class 4 of the Dairy Experience and Agricultural Leadership Program (DEAL) held its second meeting this September in St. Louis, Missouri. Class 4 has 20 dairy farmers in the program from both Midwest Dairy’s and the Dairy Alliance’s regions. Throughout the meeting, participants explored strategies for strengthening consumer connections and took a deeper dive into the importance of building trust between dairy farmers and consumers. Through interactive learning and meaningful discussions, the farmer leaders gained insights and tools to help share their stories, engage with consumers, and build confidence in dairy farming.
The session began with a farm tour at Riegel Dairy in Washington, Missouri, where Brian Riegel welcomed participants and showcased the innovation taking place on his farm. Following the tour, the group gathered for dinner in downtown St. Louis, continuing conversations and building connections among the participants.
The second day focused on strengthening farmers’ ability to connect with consumers in the digital space. Don Schindler, Senior Vice President of Digital Initiatives at Dairy Management Inc., led an interactive workshop designed to equip farmer leaders with practical tools for sharing their stories online. Topics included branding your farm, answering tough questions online, and creating and editing video content. The session emphasized how farmers can use digital platforms to build their online presence, engage in meaningful conversations, and foster trust with consumers.
Building on the workshop, Braden Tewolde, a St. Louis-based influencer who has partnered with Midwest Dairy on events such as the South Beach Food & Wine Festival, shared his perspective on the role influencers play in connecting with audiences. Braden highlighted opportunities for dairy farmers to use social media and digital storytelling to share their experiences, showcase their farms, and build relationships with consumers in authentic and engaging ways.
That evening, the farmer leaders put their consumer engagement skills into action with a unique opportunity to connect with fans at Busch Stadium before a St. Louis Cardinals game. Through Midwest Dairy’s partnership with Missouri Farmers Care, 30 volunteers, including DEAL participants, Brian Riegel and his family, and Midwest Dairy staff, engaged with fans at the expanded Missouri Farmers Care booth experience at Ford Plaza.
As part of Dairy Night, fans enjoyed free games, dairy trivia, a total mixed ration display that offered insight into what cows eat, and a variety of giveaways. The experience provided DEAL participants with an opportunity to interact directly with consumers, answer questions, and share more about dairy farming in a fun, engaging environment.
Following the first pitch, Midwest Dairy hosted the volunteers in a suite at Busch Stadium. The informal gathering offered an opportunity for participants and staff to network and strengthen relationships in a relaxed setting, bringing together a day of learning and hands-on consumer engagement.
The third and final day began with Alyson Fendrick, Farmer Leadership Development Manager at Midwest Dairy, who led a Bringing Dairy to Life workshop. During the session, DEAL participants worked in breakout groups to brainstorm ways to apply the knowledge and insights gained throughout the previous two days to their own communities. The collaborative discussions encouraged farmer leaders to identify opportunities to strengthen consumer connections, share their dairy stories and put their learnings into action.
The second meeting of DEAL Class 4 provided farmer leaders with meaningful opportunities to strengthen their consumer engagement skills, build trust, and learn from industry experts, fellow farmers, and community partners. From exploring innovation on the farm and developing digital storytelling skills to engaging directly with consumers at Busch Stadium, participants gained practical tools and experiences to bring back to their communities. As the class continues its leadership journey, these farmer leaders are building the confidence, connections, and communication skills needed to help bridge the gap between dairy farmers and consumers while sharing the story of dairy farming.