BISMARCK, N.D. – During the 53rd Annual North Dakota Dairy Convention on January 22, taking place at the Ramada in Bismarck, dairy farmers will have the opportunity to hear how their checkoff is making an impact on increasing dairy sales in schools.
Attendees will hear how school breakfast is helping grow dairy demand. “We have seen a significant increase in breakfast participation when schools offer breakfast outside the cafeteria through a Breakfast in the Classroom or Grab and Go service” says Char Heer, manager of Programs and Partnerships with Midwest Dairy. Midwest Dairy is helping schools with these programs by offering grants and resources to help start or enhance an alternative breakfast program. To date, all the schools awarded funding have shown a significant increase in breakfast participation resulting in increased dairy consumption.
Convention attendees are welcome to attend the North Dakota State Dairy Show Annual Meeting and the North Dakota Holstein Association Annual Meeting, which begin at 8:00 a.m., prior to the convention. The North Dakota Dairy Convention, which is hosted by the Milk Producers Association of North Dakota (MPA of ND), begins with a noon lunch, followed by speaker sessions and vendor trade show. The Annual Meeting of the MPA of ND will be at 1:30 p.m. Midwest Dairy will present examples of successes in North Dakota schools at 3:30 p.m. followed by updates from the state of North Dakota presented by North Dakota Commissioner of Agriculture Doug Goerhing and North Dakota Deputy State Veterinarian Beth Carlson. The evening entertainment is Milo Hatzebuhler, the “Original Rock and Roll Farmboy.”