Skip to main content

Checkoff at Work

Midwest Dairy is the marketing organization for dairy farmers across the Midwest and strives to build awareness and sales of dairy products in various ways. These ways include partnerships, dairy marketing research, engaging healthcare professionals, and sponsoring events. See the latest work done by Midwest Dairy by reading success stories from our dairy checkoff programs.

Filters

Cover of MDFRC research project summary

Strengthening dairy’s competitive edge through research

The Midwest Dairy Foods Research Center (MDFRC) funds research projects that advance dairy technologies, ingredients, and products through an industry-driven collaborative approach to strengthen the…


Image of people standing in research center.

Checkoff-funded science moving dairy forward

For Midwest dairy farmers, every checkoff dollar is an investment in the future of dairy. In 2025, the Midwest Dairy Foods Research Center (MDFRC) delivered…


People eating cheese fondue

Dairy is meeting the moment with today’s consumers

Dairy is in a strong position with today’s consumers, and the momentum is real. At a time when shoppers are watching their budgets more closely…


winter-webinar-screenshot

Webinar hosted exploring food and beverage trends in 2026

On December 3, Midwest Dairy hosted a webinar with retailers and processors that explored the top 10 food & beverage trends to watch in 2026.…


Dairy in research

Checkoff funded research showcased at global summit

Research funded by the Midwest Dairy Foods Research Center (MDFRC) was strongly represented at the 2026 Global Ingredients Summit, hosted by the American Dairy Products…


Alexa Ryan and husband in front of Target holding Bakr Cookie bags

From Pitch Contest winner to Target shelves

Bakr Cookies is no stranger to Midwest Dairy. After winning The Hatchery’s Pitch Contest presented by Midwest Dairy in 2023, the Chicago-based company has continued…


South Dakota Dairy Ambassador with dairy farmer at event

South Dakota Dairy Ambassador couples promotion with research

Vaishali Poswal is a graduate student in the Dairy and Food Science Department at South Dakota State University (SDSU), where she is pursuing a Master…


Midwest Dairy VentureFuel Accelerator Logo

Midwest Dairy Accelerator aims to turn fresh ideas into real dairy sales

Midwest Dairy is setting the stage for dairy innovation with the 2025 Midwest Dairy Accelerator program. In partnership with innovation consultancy firm VentureFuel, this eight-week…


Researcher presenting at MDFRC Annual Meeting

Midwest Dairy Foods Research Center Annual Meeting 2025

The Midwest Dairy Foods Research Center (MDFRC) held its annual meeting July 30–31 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, bringing together Operational Advisory Committee (OAC) members, faculty, students,…


MDFRC Spring 2025 Meeting

Midwest Dairy Foods Research Center Spring Planning Meeting 2025

The Midwest Dairy Foods Research Center hosted its Spring 2025 planning meeting in early May in Brookings, South Dakota. The two-day event brought together members…


Close up of dairy products with Accelerator logo on it

Introducing the Midwest Dairy Accelerator: Now Accepting Applications

Midwest Dairy’s Accelerator projects have successfully supported dairy innovation among food entrepreneurs. Building on three years of successful pitch competition with The Hatchery and No…


2024 Hatchery Winner

Pitch Competitions continue to fuel checkoff research

Advancing dairy research is a key strategy of dairy checkoff. Midwest Dairy funds research that solves industry challenges and partners with those who drive demand…