Midwest Dairy recently joined a two-day event hosted by the National Dairy Council (NDC), designed to strengthen relationships between state and regional checkoff organizations and health and wellness thought leaders who serve as NDC dairy ambassadors.
The event offered a deep dive into the latest science behind dairy’s role in health and nutrition. Attendees learned about emerging research from NDC staff, heard firsthand from New York dairy farmer Audrey Donahoe about her family’s farm, and visited Ideal Dairy Farms and Argyle Cheese for an up-close look at dairy production.
A highlight of the event was the exploration of science-backed evidence supporting dairy’s benefits across various health areas. New findings on dairy and cardiometabolic health shows neutral to positive effects of full-fat dairy on heart disease, diabetes risk, and weight management, reinforcing its place in healthy eating patterns, regardless of fat content. Research also supports cheese as a food that may help reduce cardiovascular risk, while yogurt has consistently shown benefits in lowering the risk of Type 2 diabetes, so much so that the FDA recently issued a qualified health claim for its benefits.
Attendees also learned that dairy foods, including fermented products such as yogurt and kefir, are not inflammatory and may even help reduce inflammation. Another area of interest was the emerging connection between gut health and mental wellness, with new studies exploring how fermented dairy products may positively influence emotional health through the gut-brain axis.
For children, new research is shifting perceptions about whole milk. Once discouraged, whole milk is now associated with lower body fat and improved vitamin D levels in children. The discussion of the “dairy matrix” highlighted how nutrients in whole dairy foods work together to influence health—helping explain favorable outcomes, even with saturated fat.
Importantly, trust in dairy is growing, especially among teens and parents. Consumers are drawn to dairy’s great taste, nutritional value, versatility, and cultural connection, making it a consistent choice in daily diets.
To conclude the event, dairy ambassadors and checkoff organizations participated in a pitch contest where participants proposed innovative partnership ideas to support dairy nutrition efforts using the newly shared science. Midwest Dairy looks forward to continuing its work with both NDC ambassadors and its own ambassadors to bring the latest in dairy nutrition science to more audiences and further strengthen trust in dairy.