Midwest Dairy has found great success in working with and through subject matter expertise when showcasing the sustainable nutrition benefits of dairy. These experts include health and environmental professionals because to serve as a trusted source for dairy information when speaking to consumers.
Recently, Midwest Dairy partnered with Amanda Jochum, a Registered Dietitian at Hy-Vee, and Mitch Rippe with the Nebraska Beef Council to provide 16 dietetic interns from the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC) and the University of Nebraska at Lincoln (UNL), with a unique media experience. These invited future RDs visited the 1011 News station in Lincoln, Nebraska, to view a live segment and a Q&A with news anchors Jon and Taryn Vanderford. They then put what they learned into practice by pitching, developing, and delivering their own interviews. Midwest Dairy knows the importance of Registered Dietitian’s (RD) visibility in the media. Because of this training, these interns can be better advocates for dairy nutrition and the industry in general.
Dietetic intern directors noted that this experience provided an unmatched opportunity and practice that they wouldn’t otherwise get. Following this training, interns indicated a better understanding of the media and ultimately higher confidence when working with the media in the future.
Midwest Dairy also recently partnered with the Avera Heart Hospital and North Central Heart to build trust in dairy with credentialed health professionals and ultimately reach their patient/client audience. The Avera Heart Hospital was looking to update its standard heart health education for both inpatients and outpatients and wanted to move away from specific sodium restriction guidelines to a more relaxed approach showcasing the well-known DASH diet, of which dairy is an important component.
Midwest Dairy provided subject matter expertise and guidance with a graphic designer, resulting in a new resource that not only includes dairy but also promotes a variety of fat levels in milk to improve heart health.
Lastly, the Mid-America Regional Council’s (MARC) Food Waste and Loss Advisory Council had the opportunity to learn more about dairy’s sustainability story. Local dairy farmer Orville Miller visited with the advisory council and shared the waste reduction efforts he has implemented on his farm and the Net Zero goals for the industry.
The advisory council is made up of various agencies, companies, organizations, and city/county governments across the greater Kansas City nine-county metropolitan area working to create a food waste and loss action plan. The plan’s goal is to decrease food waste across all areas of the food chain. In addition to creating the action plan, the council will be working to build a web map that will help bring stakeholders together as well as a public education campaign for consumers.