Farmer Image

Earning and maintaining consumer trust is critically important to a dairy farmer's business and success. In fact, 67% of consumers who trust a brand say they're more likely to stay loyal and advocate for it.1 Your dairy checkoff manages farmer, product and industry reputation with this in mind, helping maintain dairy's trustworthiness and relevance far into the future.

1.  "Trust Barometer Special Report: The Collapse of the Purchase Funnel." Edelman, 2023.


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The Dairy Checkoff Has Your Back

Your dairy checkoff demonstrates farmers' shared commitment to delivering a safe, nutritious, responsibly-made product. Here's how:
  • Marketing efforts that connect with consumers and help build and maintain trust.
  • A coordinated, strategic response whenever farmer or industry image is challenged.

An Undeniably Successful Campaign

Undeniably Dairy launched in 2018 to bring people closer to where their food comes from and reignite a passion for real dairy. Among the campaign's most successful efforts has been engaging a Dairy Dream Team of online influencers with a collective reach exceeding 22 million users. These social media personalities have posted recipes, visited farms and shared stories with their respective followers to help amplify dairy farmers' stories and boost overall farmer reputation.


Industry-Wide Efforts To Build & Maintain Trust 

The dairy checkoff also provides hands-on support when challenges to farmer reputation arise and works to maintain and build upon the high level of trust they've earned. An industry-wide team enhances this work to assist with issues monitoring and crisis management strategies.


Ashley Messing-Kennedy

"We have to take care of our animals, our land, our environment, our communities. All of that is really important. But the biggest thing is we have to share that story, and checkoff is doing that."

-Ashley Messing-Kennedy, Sheridan Dairy (Michigan)

Your Checkoff at Work

22

MILLION

Online Users Reached Through Dairy Dream Team Influencers

86%

Of Survey Respondents Believe Dairy Plays a Role in the Sustainable Food System

Source: Kantar Perceptions Tracking Study (September 2023)

Kelly-MacKinnon

Local Checkoff Spotlight: American Dairy Association of Indiana

Since 2019, American Dairy Association of Indiana has reached more than 60,000 students on virtual farm tours. With limitations on travel budgets and classroom time, these virtual tours allow students to experience dairy farming in real time, asking questions directly to a farmer on topics like sustainability, nutrition and animal care. Student participation through scavenger hunts and poll questions increases engagement and retention of information learned. Viewer sentiment is also tracked before and after the tours, showing a 3% increase in positive perceptions of dairy farms, a 15% increase in knowledge of dairy farming, and a 3% increase in trust in dairy farmers caring for their cows.

Source: American Dairy Association of Indiana

Frequently Asked Questions

What are recent ways the dairy checkoff has told dairy farmers’ stories?

The checkoff's Undeniably Dairy campaign has been successful in sharing farmers' stories with consumers. Recently, the checkoff promoted A Farmer Is More Than Just A Farmer messaging through traditional and digital media channels to highlight the many ways dairy farmers care for the earth's resources and their cows.

How can I get involved in sharing my story?

The authenticity of farmers’ voices resonates strongly with consumers, who have a lot of trust in farmers. According to the 2024 Edelman Trust Barometer, trust in farmers ranks high with consumers. It is important for farmers to share their stories to maintain and build upon this trust. Social media is a great way to reach people, including younger generations, and state and regional checkoff teams can serve as a resource to help farmers get started in this area.

Source: 2024 Edelman Trust Barometer