We Pledge to make every drop count
Throughout 2023, Midwest Dairy worked hard on behalf of dairy farmers. We pledge to Make Every Drop Count by investing your 15-cent checkoff contribution into efficient and effective ways to grow trust and sales in dairy regionally, nationally, and globally.
You can learn more about the projects and activations checkoff dollars supported throughout the 10-state region in the 2023 Annual Report stories below. These activations highlight how Midwest Dairy grew trust, increased sales, invested in research, and developed leaders.
A Note from Molly Pelzer, Midwest Dairy CEO
A Note from Charles Krause, Midwest Dairy Chair
Explore the Report
1. By the Numbers
Expanding Your Checkoff Investment
Over 630 Dairy Farmers and Other Groups
ordered materials from the Midwest Dairy Promo Center, reaching more than one million consumers.
149 Undeniably Dairy Grants
totaling $348,000, were awarded to dairy farmers, dairy farmer groups, and ag partners reaching more than 612,000 consumers.
Over 24.2 Million
consumers reached in 2023 through hundreds of partner activations.
2. Building Trust
Growing Trust in Dairy
Midwest Dairy knows positive consumer perception of dairy leads to increased trust and sales. We collaborate with partners to share dairy’s farm-to-table story in out-of-the-box ways, creating experiences that help bring dairy to life beyond the grocery store. Midwest Dairy strives to meet the consumers where they are, especially generation Z, to grow trust in dairy.
Reaching Consumers with Dairy’s Story
Growing consumer trust is central to Midwest Dairy’s strategic plan. We achieve this by working with and through partners to reach millions of consumers across our 10-state region. Our partners range from trusted thought leaders like Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), to influencers, colleges and universities, and more. Through these partners, Midwest Dairy shares dairy’s sustainable nutrition story and how dairy farmers care for their cows, land, communities, and planet – to grow trust in dairy.
Learn more about some of the many activations Midwest Dairy completed throughout the year!
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Influencer retreat gets the conversation started online
Checkoff supports WIC with dairy nutrition programming
Farmers utilize Undeniably Dairy grants in 2023
STEM continued to build in 2023 with a positive outlook in 2024
Offering rural healthcare providers resources
Utilizing university campuses to share dairy’s farm-to-table story
Checkoff continues to see the benefits of supporting gamers with dairy content
Partnering with school associations to reach Gen Z
Kansas dairy farm featured in PBS-distributed program, tasteMAKERS
Partnering with Ag Coalitions to reach more consumers
3. Driving Dairy Demand & Sales
Increasing Demand in Dairy
Midwest Dairy pursues opportunities with retail and foodservice partners who are dedicated to growing dairy sales and highlighting the dairy case. We know consumers love dairy products, and Midwest Dairy works with partners to promote nutritious recipes and to inspire consumers to use the dairy products they love in innovative ways.
Growing Sales Throughout our 10-State Region
Midwest Dairy is dedicated to giving consumers an excellent dairy experience by working with and through our retail and food service partners. Highlighting a variety of dairy products, their nutritional benefits, and dairy’s unique sustainability story increases incremental milk sales year-round.
Learn more about our efforts to grow demand in dairy throughout 2023 by reading our success stories below!
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Checkoff welcomed a new partner in 2023, Dollar General
Working towards menu innovation with Freddy’s Frozen Custard and Steakburgers
Utilizing dairy voices in partner retail campaigns
Capitalizing on the importance of recipe promotions
Grocery partnerships drive dairy sales
4. Fueling Innovation & Research
Advancing the Dairy Industry
Midwest Dairy invests checkoff resources into research designed to support the dairy industry, innovate dairy technologies, and create regional and global opportunities for Midwest Dairy farmers throughout our 10-state region.
Advancing Research in Dairy
Advancing dairy research is a key strategy for Midwest Dairy. By showcasing dairy’s health benefits and emphasizing dairy’s healthy sustainability story to partners and consumers, we can grow trust in dairy. We offer our partners a variety of resources, including valuable research, to help drive demand in dairy.
Learn more about how we advanced research in dairy in 2023 below.
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Midwest Dairy and The Hatchery Chicago Partner for the second year
Welcoming a new 2023/2024 Midwest Dairy Foods Research Strategic Plan
Remarks from Executive Director of MDFRC, Dr. Jayendra Amamcharla
Partners learn more during consumer insights webinars
5. Developing Tomorrow’s Dairy Leaders
Helping Farmers Share Their Dairy Story
Midwest Dairy offers dairy farmers within our 10-state region opportunities and resources to successfully tell their dairy story within their community. These opportunities include connecting with consumers on shared values, preparing for a crisis, how to conduct media interviews and more. Midwest Dairy is a great resource for farmers who want to become more active and shine a spotlight on their farm. Discover how dairy farmers utilized these resources, including items from the Promo Center, to reach consumers locally.
Developing Farm and Community Leaders
Dairy farmers are trusted sources of information among consumers. This is why Midwest Dairy invests checkoff resources into grants, training programs, and materials that help dairy farmers become champions of dairy both locally and regionally. Midwest Dairy also supports the next generation of dairy leaders through various programs, scholarships and internships, paving the way for continued success in the dairy industry.
Discover how we developed dairy farm and community leaders throughout 2023.
Explore Articles
Thirteen farmers graduate from DEAL Class 2
Breaking Through the Noise training is now available to farmers
Celebrating another successful year for the Dairy Ambassador program
6. Where Your Checkoff Goes
Dairy Farmer’s CHeckoff Investment
Midwest Dairy is thoughtful and purposeful of where dairy farmer’s checkoff investment goes. Learn more about these investments below.
Dairy Experience (43%)
Consumer focused programming and implementation of key components of the dairy checkoff’s nationwide Unified Marketing Plan. This includes:
- Sales – Demand (14.5%) – Building dairy sales through retail and food service.
- Sales – Youth (3%) – Drive dairy sales including work with targeted school districts.
- Global Positioning (6%) – Relationship building with credentialed health professionals to create dairy advocates.
- Trust – Adult (10%) – The Undeniably Dairy platform and other marketing communication using third-party influencers to reach consumers.
- Trust – Youth (8.5%) – Ag literacy programs to drive awareness of sustainable nutrition through programs to grow trust among youth and their parents.
- Strategic Insights (1%) – Evaluating consumer attitude and behavior to measure trends in consumer trust.
Partnership & Research (27%)
The 2.5 cent funding sent to Dairy Management, Inc. for research and promotion and the United Dairy Industry Association fee, both part of our membership commitment.
Ag Affairs (15%)
Work building coalitions with ag groups focused on reaching consumers, dairy ambassadors, farmer leadership development programs, and work in environmental sustainability.
Administration (6%)
Includes the cost of our accounting and network infrastructure, as well as our governance of board costs.
Research & Innovation (3%)
Product research through Midwest Dairy Food Research Center and efforts focused on nutrition research and consumer insights.
Corporate Communications (4%)
Positioning with stakeholders and internal audiences through a variety of communications channels.
Farmer Communication (2%)
Communicating with farmer investors and board members. Issue and crisis preparedness and response.
Revenue By Division
Minnesota (42.1%)
Iowa (23%)
South Dakota (18.2%)
Nebraska (5.2%)
Illinois (3.1%)
Mo-Kan Division (2.8%)
Ozarks (2%)
North Dakota (1.3%)
Interest and Other Income (2.3%)
7. Partners
Working with and through partners
Midwest Dairy works with and through partners to drive trust and demand in dairy. This includes foodservice, retail, thought leaders, universities, and more. Below are a sample of the many partners we work with on behalf of dairy farmers.
8. Resources
Review the 2023 Scorecard
The Midwest Dairy scorecard is designed to inform dairy farmers of our growth across several goals, including dairy sales, trust in dairy, and more. Review the 2023 Midwest Dairy Year-end Scorecard by clicking below.
Additional Resources
Want to learn more about your dairy checkoff, Midwest Dairy, or resources available to you to help tell your dairy story? Check out our helpful links below, including links to our Board Leadership and 2023 financial documents!
Undeniably Dairy Grants
Apply for an Undeniably Dairy grant to support telling your dairy story, community event, and more.
Leadership Grants
Interested in attending leadership classes? Apply for a leadership grant today!
Request a Printed Annual Report
Complete the Contact Us form to request a printed annual report.