You deserve an ice cream treat

Sunday, July 21, was National Ice Cream Day.  Enjoying a couple of scoops of my favorite summer time treat offered me a chance to reflect on some of the best aspects of this great industry.

Anyone connected to the dairy industry knows we face constant trials and tribulation.  At this time in 2023, we begged for rain.  This year, many farmers are wondering when we can string together a few days of favorable weather to harvest a hay crop.  What will corn silage look like with some fields tasseling and others barely knee high?  What is the long-term picture of our battle with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (bird flu)?  Milk price looks favorable, but how long will that last?  I think you get my point; this is an industry filled with unpredictability.    

Dairy farmers are incredibly efficient at producing a highly nutritional food that has stood the test of time as numerous alternatives are placed on grocery shelves.  I doubt our parents and grandparents fathomed having to defend the definition of milk.  Almonds were for chewing while driving tractor and oats were an energy source for cattle and horses.  While fluid milk consumption declines, the industry has innovated to bring other highly nutritional dairy foods to the dinner table.  

What about farming practices?  I grew up on a dairy farm in northern Minnesota near a town without a stoplight.  My parents were focused on the milk the cows produced; they didn’t consider the methane emitted by our cows.  Today, dairy farmers are innovating to meet new consumer demands.  In some cases, they receive credit for management practices designed to reduce emissions.  All this innovation happens while dairy farmers tighten margins and become more efficient.    

As our industry evolves, dairy owners and managers continue to wear a lot of hats.  The decisions on today’s dairy farms seem to carry greater magnitude and consequences than ever before.  While many owners and managers are still “cow people” with innate skills in animal husbandry, their duties often require them to spend significant time outside of the barn.  One thing that has not changed is the passion and love dairy farmers have for their livestock.  I recall my dad saying, “If we take care of the cows, they will take care of us.”  

It is hard to think of a management task that hasn’t improved over the years.  Cow comfort is better than ever.  Cows are fed a balanced diet to meet their exact nutrient requirements for grams of amino acids, fatty acids and other essential nutrients.  Improvements in genetics create a productive cow while maximizing health traits.  Activity monitors log what the cows are doing and help us better understand how they feel. On some farms, cows seek out a robot to milk them when they are ready for it.  Wow.  Lots of changes…and many more to come.

In 1984, President Ronald Reagan declared the third Sundy in July as National Ice Cream Day and designated July as National Ice Cream Month.  In doing so, he recognized the invaluable contributions the dairy industry makes to local communities and our American economy.  While a lot has changed in 40 years, we continue to recognize the hard work and care dairy farmers invest each day to produce wholesome and nutritious foods.  

As this month comes to a close, allow me to say thank you to all the hard-working men and women of the dairy industry.  Continue to hold your head high and be proud of what you do.  Take a moment to pause and enjoy your favorite ice cream treat in celebration of your important work!  

Barry Visser is a nutritionist for Vita Plus.