Dairy Farmers Donate $500,000 to Food Banks

Midwest Dairy represents more than 6,500 dairy farm families and works on their behalf to build dairy demand. Food banks across the united States have been seeing unprecedented need in recent weeks due to COVID-19 as unemployment numbers continue to climb. Food banks have been working to find resourceful ways to provide more food to those experiencing food insecurity.

Midwest Dairy manages dairy farmer check-off dollars. Check-off dollars by law can only be used for research, education and promotion. Midwest Dairy board members who are dairy farmers elected by dairy farmers that pay into the check-off requested special permission from the USDA to make a $500,000 donation to food shelves.

Typically dairy check-off funds cannot be used to purchase dairy products. In this case the USDA granted a one-time exception to Midwest Dairy to get more dairy available to people that are food insecure. Midwest Dairy is partnering with dairy processors to determine what products they have available and will provide that to interested food banks.