Checkoff check-in

MADISON, Wis. — The Dairy Production Stabilization Act, established in 1983, is a program that all dairy farmers pay into today through the checkoff program. Understanding what that money is used for is vital for continuing to advance the dairy industry.

Ben Miller, senior vice president of industry relations for Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin, said Wisconsin dairy checkoff dollars continue to promote and market Wisconsin dairy products worldwide to grow markets for Wisconsin milk.     

Miller sees the next frontier for Wisconsin dairy in the export market. In 2025, the value of U.S. dairy exports was $9.51 billion, a 15% increase from the year before. 2025 also saw 2.79 million metric tons of product find a home in the export market, with seven consecutive months totaling more than 50,000 metric tons of cheese exported.     

“Export strategy is a long game; it’s not just a flash in the pan,” Miller said. “You have to be there through good times and bad. We’re planting seeds now that we will harvest down the road, although we are seeing some growth already.  In the future, these investments and partnerships that DFW is working on will pay dividends for generations to come.”

Miller sees the export potential as a good sign for what is to come for the industry. Focusing on how to create new partnerships and opportunities for Wisconsin products often means working with other states or countries.     

“We’ve just dipped our toes into what’s possible there (in exports),” Miller said. “We have a world-class group of people who are in those markets, building those relationships. I saw that last year when we had 150 new Wisconsin cheese items that were introduced in international markets.”

Cheese is a success story, Miller said, with 90% of Wisconsin milk made into cheese being sold outside the state. DFW is helping to create markets and opportunities for continued distribution of the product, which already reaches 99% of grocery stores in the country.

Specialty cheese is a growing niche.

“Wisconsin specialty cheese has grown 15 times faster than the overall cheese category,” Miller said. “Thirty years ago, Wisconsin decided that specialty cheese was going to be our competitive edge, and we’ve supported that. It was a really important strategic decision for the state’s future to double down on specialty cheese.”

Continuing to grow the Proudly Wisconsin Cheese brand nationally and internationally has become a top priority for DFW, and accomplishing that comes in many forms. Miller discussed the recent successes of earned media, brand experiential events and the Center for Dairy Research.

“We generate about $70 million a year in earned media; that’s a huge deal,” Miller said. 

Earned media is publicity or exposure gained through unpaid third-party endorsements rather than paid advertising. This creates marketing exposure without incurring capital costs.

At the 2025 Wisconsin Art of Cheese Festival, more than 20,000 attendees from 30 states and a few different countries traveled to Madison to taste and buy cheese, while meeting farmers and cheesemakers and learning about the heritage and craftsmanship that Wisconsin cheese is known for. This helps people experience what it means when they see the Proudly Wisconsin Cheese badge on the label.     

“We have people meeting with cheesemakers; they’re meeting with farmers and these people are deciding what products they’re going to put in their stores,” Miller said. “It’s a really competitive space, and the protein space is ultra-competitive right now. Those types of programs are really important to make sure that Wisconsin is first on the list of products that they’re going to put on their shelves.”

DFW continues to expand on ways to reach the consumer to showcase the products that Wisconsin dairy farmers produce. One way to reach millions of people worldwide is through “Born to Dairy,” a statewide campaign utilizing  billboards, radio, social media and live events featuring real farmers.

“Born to Dairy is all about celebrating the pride, personalities and heritage of the state’s dairy community, while encouraging consumers to support Wisconsin dairy farmers by buying Wisconsin dairy products,” Miller said. “We’re trying to speak to farmers and consumers at the same time, let them know that farming is hard work, and it drives the state’s economy. Our economic impact is near $53 billion a year, but often farmers aren’t appreciated, noticed or recognized.”

The Born to Dairy campaign launched at World Dairy Expo in 2025, with a guest appearance from comedian Charlie Berens.
Berens has worked with DFW to help promote the new campaign, starring in several social media videos, announcing the farmer personas. The campaign already has millions of impressions on social media.     

“We’ve seen a lot of positive interaction with the Born to Dairy campaign,” Miller said. “There’s been a lot of love from farmers, consumers and partners like Culver’s, Piggly Wiggly and the University of Wisconsin-Madison.”

Overseeing Miller’s team is a board of 25 dairy farmers. The board helps ensure that the money is spent responsibly and productively.     

“They (the board) lean in on the budget,” Miller said. “They lean in on our programs and we welcome that. The fact that we are accountable to farmers through the board and through their engagement  requires us to be laser focused.”

With milk prices low, Miller understands the continued importance of making informed, smart decisions about how the checkoff money is used.     

“I get it (the frustration) when prices are low,” Miller said. “This is the farmer’s money and when prices are low, everything is on the table and you’re under a lot of pressure. We get questions every day and I think that it’s for moments like right now why we were created.”