During the 2024 back-to-school season, Midwest Dairy again partnered with the Adopt a Cow program to bring dairy’s story to students across the 10-state region. This free program connects dairy farmers with educators to help students learn where their food comes from. Students track the growth of a calf throughout the school year while engaging in lessons and activities. Though primarily designed for classrooms, the program has also reached Boys & Girls Clubs, libraries, daycares, senior living centers, and more.
Midwest Dairy had six farm hosts supporting the program this year: Berning Dairy from Illinois, College of the Ozarks from Missouri, JCC Jerseys from Nebraska, Miron Farm from Minnesota, Rottinghaus Holstein Farm from Kansas, and Takes Dairy from Iowa. Their engaging storytelling through photos, narratives, and live calf chats contributed significantly to the program’s success.
In 2024, Midwest Dairy supported over 4,100 educators from the 10-state area, reaching approximately 110,400 students. A new app was launched to manage the program, enabling engagement tracking for the first time. We found that 84% of the educators actively used the program. Survey data also showed a 20% increase in trust regarding dairy’s environmental impact and animal care compared to the previous year.
A teacher from Gurnee, Illinois, shared “I used resources from the Adopt a Cow program to teach students during science. Students were excited to receive updates about our cow Anna Sue and they also learned so much about dairy and where it comes from.”
The program features several exciting contests throughout the year, including the “Most Kissable Calf” competition in February. Over 1 million votes were cast, and Midwest Dairy’s very own calf, Diamond, from Rottinghaus Holstein Farm in Kansas, was crowned the “Most Kissable Calf.” A total of 15 calves participated, including those from the Midwest region.
This is the first year that entire grade levels adopted calves, increasing engagement in school. Social media engagement has also increased, with educators sharing their experiences with their followers. Many are looking forward to the live calf chats scheduled for this spring, where students will have the opportunity to meet our farmers and ask questions.