Midwest Dairy sponsored the National Ag in the Classroom Conference, which broke attendance records with over 600 participants in Minneapolis this June. As part of the event, Midwest Dairy hosted the Journey of Milk traveling workshop, one of 18 tours offered on the first day of the conference. Midwest Dairy staff collaborated with the Minnesota Ag in the Classroom (MN AITC) team to coordinate tour locations, schedules, and logistics. They also hosted 44 teachers representing 22 states, including 15 from the Midwest Dairy region. The attendees came from a range of teaching backgrounds, including Career & Technical Education, Agriculture Education, Family & Consumer Science, and nine Science educators. Collectively, they reach more than 35,000 students.
As part of its sponsorship, Midwest Dairy funded the Journey of Milk tour bus and lunches and provided a phone/tablet holder for each attendee’s conference bag. Each holder included a link to the Fields of STEM website, a digital hub offering an agriculture-based science curriculum.
Before the tour, Midwest Dairy provided a brief overview of the dairy checkoff program and introduced both the Adopt-A-Cow program and the Fields of STEM resources. The tour included two stops: Square Deal Dairy and CannonBelles Creamery, which crafts artisan cheese using milk from Square Deal Dairy. Each group spent 60 minutes at each location, gaining a comprehensive farm to fork experience. Chicky Otte of Square Deal Dairy, Kathy Hupf, and Deeann Lufkin of CannonBelles Creamery served as engaging and passionate guides, offering in-depth insights and answering a wide range of teacher questions.
Results
Post-tour surveys showed a strong impact. An impressive 98% of attendees strongly agreed that food and food production are effective and engaging ways to teach science concepts. Additionally, 78% strongly agreed that the experience would help them meet required science standards. Before the tour, 54% of teachers frequently incorporated food and agriculture into their science lessons. Afterward, that number increased to 80%.
Teachers shared key takeaways from the tour. Many expressed a new appreciation for the complexity of dairy farming, including the many professionals required to keep things running smoothly, from nutritionists managing food rations to teams focused on recycling waste, water, and manure. They also noted how detailed the cheese-making process is and the role business ownership plays in production. Above all, many noted the passion and perseverance of dairy professionals and how inspiring it was to witness their dedication firsthand.
Experiential learning opportunities like the Journey of Milk tour, help advance Midwest Dairy’s strategic goal of integrating dairy and agricultural production into formal science education while building lasting trust in dairy through transparency and real-world connections.