Sharing dairy’s stories builds trust for dairy with consumers and helps grow sales. Here’s a roundup of media coverage arranged by ADA North East during January.
Pennsylvania Farm Show Wrap Up
The 2026 Pennsylvania Farm Show, themed “Growing A Nation,” included multiple activations to celebrate the 250th Anniversary of our nation. One of the Pennsylvania Farm Show’s most iconic staples, the butter sculpture, earned national recognition in the Smithsonian Magazine, which chronicled its journey from beloved exhibit to renewable energy source on a Pennsylvania dairy farm. The feature elevated dairy’s sustainability story, generating 700,000 impressions and delivering an estimated $8,000 in publicity value.
Read More in the Smithsonian Magazine.
Butter Sculpture Unveiling
The January 8 unveiling of the annual butter sculpture — “A Toast to Our Nation’s 250th Anniversary: Inspired by Founders. Grown by Farmers.” — made headlines across Pennsylvania and beyond. The iconic display sparked excitement and celebration of agriculture’s role in America’s story. The unveiling was highlighted by Philadelphia media WPVI-TV (ABC), Philadelphia Inquirer and Philly Voice; by Harrisburg media, WPMT-TV (FOX) and WGAL-TV (NBC); and Pittsburgh media, WTAE-TV (ABC) and KDKA-TV (CBS).
Watch a Segment: WPVI TV (ABC) Philadelphia
Fill A Glass With Hope®
The Fill A Glass With Hope® campaign marked its 11th anniversary on January 9, highlighted by a press conference featuring NFL legend Charlie Batch and Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding. The 2026 campaign launched with record breaking support, raising more than $205,000 in sponsor donations and led to news coverage by Harrisburg media outlets WPMT-TV (FOX), WGAL-TV (NBC), WHTM-TV (ABC), plus PennWatch and the Gettysburg Times.
Watch a Segment: WPMT-TV (FOX) Harrisburg
Culinary Connection/ Undeniably Dairy Shake-Off
The Undeniably Dairy Shake-Off on January 17 was a crowd-pleasing highlight, as local media personalities went head-to-head in a spirited competition celebrating America’s 250th Anniversary. Contestants wowed judges with patriotic “Stars, Stripes, and Shakes” creations, and the team from WPMT TV FOX Harrisburg took top honors.
Butter Sculpture Recyling
The deconstruction and recycling of the butter sculpture on January 18 generated statewide news coverage highlighting how dairy farms can recycle butter into renewable energy by media including KYW-TV (CBS) Philadelphia, WPXI-TV (NBC) Pittsburgh, Penn Watch, WGAL-TV (NBC) Harrisburg, WHTM-TV (ABC) Harrisburg, WPMT-TV (FOX) Harrisburg and WHP-TV (CBS) Harrisburg.
Watch a Segment: WPXI TV NBC Pittsburgh
Refuel With Chocolate Milk Invitational
The 2026 Refuel With Chocolate Milk Invitational took place January 9 and 10 at The Armory in New York City. In addition to staff, ADA North East Board President Audrey Donahoe and three New York Dairy Ambassadors were on site. We distributed 1,400 bottles of chocolate milk with custom labels purchased from Hudson Valley Fresh, as well as 1,400 individual Cabot Cheese snacks. Donahoe’s participation was featured in WKTV (CBS) Utica Online and the Oneida County Dispatch.
Watch the Segment with Audrey Donahoe: WKTV (CBS) Utica Online
Strong National Museum of Play Partnership
The Strong National Museum of Play in Rochester, New York, welcomed 37,381 guests during the time of our partnership activation over winter break and distributed 10,000 samples of Cabot cheese. ADA North East’s “Chill Out with Dairy” exhibit at the museum generated significant media attention, earning coverage across all major Rochester television networks. The activation was featured in 30 news stories, reaching an audience of more than 1 million viewers and delivering an estimated publicity value exceeding $36,000. Coverage kicked off with an in-studio interview featuring ADA North East’s registered dietitian Michelle Barber on WHAM-TV (ABC) Rochester and continued throughout the exhibit’s run with repeated segments airing on WHAM and Rochester stations WHEC-TV (NBC), WROC-TV (CBS), WUHF-TV (FOX) and Spectrum News. WHAM also ran a wrap up story.
Watch the Segment with Michelle Barber: WHAM-TV (ABC) Rochester
Letters to the Editor Set Dairy Record Straight
A Finger Lakes Dairy Farmer Responds to Misinformation with Facts
A Letter to the Editor titled, “Dairy Farmers are Committed to Producing Responsibly,” authored by dairy farmer and ADANE spokesperson Abigail Copenhaver, was published in the Finger Lakes Times. The letter responded directly to misinformation by PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) about milk production and reinforced dairy farmers’ strong commitment to responsible, sustainable practices.
Read Copenhaver’s Letter to the Editor: Dairy Farmers are Committed to Producing Responsibly
Why Dairy Stands Behind National Pizza Week
In response to a negative Letter to the Editor in the Daily Gazette (Albany) about National Pizza Week, a rebuttal letter titled, “There’s Good Reason to Celebrate National Pizza Week,” by ADA North East spokesperson Laura Ligos was published this past weekend highlighting the nutritional benefits of dairy foods and the cultural value of pizza.
Read Ligos’ Letter to the Editor: There’s Good Reason to Celebrate National Pizza Week
Current with Dairy News from Our Region
For more dairy news coverage generated around the region by our Public Relations team, visit: https://www.americandairy.com/about-us/news-coverage/.