Agricultural News
Dairy MAX Working to Bring More Oklahomans Milk
Fri, 20 Feb 2015 18:10:44 CST
Dairy MAX works on behalf of the region's dairy farmers in promoting milk and dairy products. Dairy MAX works to get more milk into the hands of the state's youth at schools, providing milk to those who need it most, along with promoting the latest in dairy products. Radio Oklahoma Network Farm Director Ron Hays caught up with Dairy MAX Spokesperson Susan Allen about the work being done by Dairy MAX. Click or tap on the LISTENBAR below to listen to the full interview.
The Dairy MAX organization works a lot with schools in providing healthier meals to students by focusing on breakfast, because each meal is served with milk. Allen said about half of the kids in this country are not eating breakfast, so as students become hungry that impacts their ability to learn. Dairy MAX also supports the "Fuel Up to Play 60" program that encourages youth to eat breakfast along with focusing on health and wellness.
Dairy MAX also works to fill the nutrition gap. In Oklahoma, one in six Oklahomans are hungry and one in four children are at risk for hunger, so many Oklahomans don't have access to milk most days of the year. Some food banks have refrigeration and will accept donations of milk, but few people donate milk, so demand often exceeds the available supply of milk.
To fill that milk gap, Dairy MAX has been working with the "Great American Milk Drive". This allows consumers to make a donation of at least $5 dollars. That donation is sent to a local food bank, which provides those in need with a coupon for a gallon of milk at the grocery store. Allen said this is a local way to help Oklahomans fill their glasses and cereal bowls with milk. To date, 704 gallons of milk has been donated to the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma, which equates to about $3,000 worth of milk. Allen said though the need for milk in Oklahoma is great.
"We're the fifth hungriest state in the nation, so I think we can better," Allen said. "But it's going to take all of us to focus on that nutrient gap, that they are not getting milk and they so desperately ask for milk."
Dairy MAX also gets behind the latest products and innovations using dairy products. Milk lovers will have more options this year, as Coca-Cola has launched Fairlife milk. The milk product has 50% more protein with no sugar. Allen said this product is more expensive, as it's targeting a specific consumer that wants more protein and it provides consumers with another option.
"We want choices and dairy needs to have choices too for people, as Americans aim to get their three servings daily," Allen said.
Dairy MAX is one of several organizations that carry out that work on behalf of dairy farmers. Dairy MAX covers a broad region of central and western Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico and southwest Kansas.
Susan Allen will be the featured guest on the In the Field TV segment Saturday morning on KWTV, News9 at 6:40 AM.
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