For farmers who are active on social media — there’s now a larger audience of families looking for interesting, educational material to pass the time over the next several weeks. It’s a great Connect with these folks by offering a glimpse of your everyday life, whether through short videos, show-and-tell of various parts of the farm, caption contests, or simply asking what they’d like to know more about.
Consider inviting families into your kitchen to showcase your favorite dairy recipes (kid-friendly recipes are always a hit). Remind them a healthy diet — including the nine essential nutrients found in milk and dairy products — is essential to a healthy immune system.
Now more than ever, it’s crucial we share credible information from reputable sources (such as CDC.gov). People are scared, and they aren’t sure who to trust. Posts claiming “milk can cure Coronavirus” or suggesting that the vaccination cows receive helps protect humans — even in a joking manner — could lead people not to trust you or any other dairy farmer.
If you see friends or fellow farmers sharing unverified claims, consider messaging them privately and ask them to remove or edit the post. We have so many great things to talk about, from the animals you all raise, and nutritious products to produce — let’s focus on that.
Please contact Beth Meyer, ADA North East Director of Consumer Confidence, for further tips on communicating with consumers.
ADA North East will continue to work on behalf of dairy farmers. If you have concerns or suggestions about addressing the challenges during this time, please call 315.472.9143.