Illinois is home to 630 dairy farms
562 of which are Grade A — and 35 dairy processing plants
America has been celebrating dairy since 1937. It all started with National Milk Month to promote drinking milk and to stabilize a surplus in production. It soon became an annual tradition that celebrates the contributions the dairy industry has made to the world. After the National Dairy Council stepped in to promote the cause, the name soon changed to “Dairy Month.”
National Dairy Month is a great way to start the summer with nutrient-rich dairy foods. From calcium to potassium, dairy products like milk contain nine essential nutrients which may help to better manage your weight, reduce your risk for high blood pressure, osteoporosis and certain cancers. Whether it’s protein to help build and repair the muscle tissue of active bodies or vitamin A to help maintain healthy skin, dairy products are a natural nutrient powerhouse.
We all know that milk comes from cows. But, did you know…
The average cow produces 90 glasses of milk each day, or about 200,000 glasses of milk during its lifetime.
They Say Milk Is Local – Have you ever wondered where your milk comes from?
You can find out by visiting whereismymilkfrom.com and follow the instructions to locate the code on your milk container (or on any other dairy product in your fridge). Most codes are a series of two numbers, followed by a dash, then followed by one to five more numbers (example: 12-34567). The numbers before the dash indicate the plant where your milk or dairy product was processed and packaged. The numbers after the dash indicate what dairy farm the milk came from.
Label or Not, All Milk is Free of Antibiotics
Can you recall the last time you purchased cow’s milk? You may have made your purchase decision based on brand, fat percentage, or sell-by date. You also may have noticed certain stamps or labels used by companies that claim their product is “antibiotic-free.”
Actually, all milk is free of antibiotics. Any time a cow is given antibiotics to treat an illness, she is separated from the herd during milking time and her milk is discarded until her treatment regimen has concluded. Every tank of milk is tested for before it leaves the farm, guaranteeing that no milk from cows currently on antibiotics is in that tank.
For more information on dairy production in Illinois, check out the Illinois Milk Producers Association at (IMPA (illinoismilk.org))
Raise a Glass to June Dairy Month – Illinois Farm Bureau Partners (ilfbpartners.com)
Clay County Farm Bureau (Clay County Farm Bureau | Illinois Farm Bureau (ilfb.org))
Edwards County Farm Bureau (Edwards County | Illinois Farm Bureau (ilfb.org)
Effingham County Farm Bureau Effingham County Farm Bureau | Agricultural Services – Effingham County IL Chamber of Commerce (effinghamcountychamber.com)
Jasper County Farm Bureau Jasper County Farm Bureau | Illinois Farm Bureau (ilfb.org)
Lawrence County Farm Bureau HOME |Lawrence County Farm Bureau (lawrencecfb.com)
Richland County Farm Bureau richlandcountyfarmbureau.com – richlandcountyfarmbureau Resources and Information.
Wabash County Farm Bureau Wabash County Farm Bureau | Illinois Farm Bureau (ilfb.org)
Wayne County Farm Bureau Wayne County Farm Bureau – HOME (waynecfb.com)
White County Farm Bureau White County Farm Bureau – HOME (whitecfb.com)