Raise a glass of milk to toast Farm to School Month

As students hurry through the breakfast and lunch line in school cafeterias, plates are filled with whole grains, protein foods, fruits and vegetables, all of which provide nutrients that children need every day. While children have the option to choose the specific foods being placed on their plates, one constant is served with every meal: milk. This nutritious drink offers 13 essential nutrients that are vital to growing students’ bodies and brains. And, while milk is served with every meal every day of the school year, October is National Farm to School Month, a key time to spotlight this delicious drink.

Milk MOOves in Just 48 Hours

Many students have had the opportunity to enjoy this dairy drink, whether at home or at school, but some may not know how milk makes its way onto their tray. Milk is a fresh and local food, moving from the dairy farm to school within 48 hours. Dairy farmers milk the cows two or three times a day. The farmers cool and store milk in large, refrigerated bulk tanks until an insulated tanker truck picks up the milk, usually once a day or every other day. The driver tests the milk before it is transported, checking for temperature, bacteria and antibiotics. Once the milk arrives at a local processing plant, it is again tested for consumption safety. The milk is then pasteurized, a process that heats the milk quickly to kill harmful bacteria and ensures safety. After that, milk is homogenized to evenly distribute the fat globules throughout and then packaged and sent off for delivery. For over 100 years these safety tests and procedures have taken place because of the Food and Drug Administration’s Grade A Milk Safety Program, making milk one of the safest beverages an individual can consume.

Dairy Farming Sustainably

In addition to learning about where milk comes from, Farm to School Month also lends an opportunity to learn about specific practices on the dairy farm. Dairy farmers are constantly making improvements to their farms, trying to create the most sustainable practices, while continuing to provide the same delicious beverage. Recently, Henrichs Dairy Farm, a local farm in Breese in southern Illinois, upgraded to a 40-cow rotary milking parlor. Now dairy farmer Byran Henrichs can milk 300 cows in two hours. Previously, each milking session took four hours. With the new milking parlor, Henrichs has more time for other farm operations and more time to spend with his family. Ninety-five percent of dairy farms are family owned, and having sustainable practices is important to farmers. Farm practices affect not only the community but also their own families and futures. Henrichs Dairy Farm is also a featured dairy farm in the SLDDC Adopt-A-Calf program. This virtual, school-based program allows teachers and students to learn about this new milking system, in addition to life on the farm and nutrition of dairy foods.

Whether drinking a carton of ice-cold milk or learning about farm practices from local dairy farmers, Farm to School Month is a great way to learn about agriculture and nutrition. Raise a glass of milk this month to your local dairy farmer for providing this delicious and nutritious dairy drink.

Visit the Farm to School page and the Dairy Farming page on the SLDDC website, stldairycouncil.org, to learn more about local Illinois and Missouri dairy farmers. Follow St. Louis District Dairy Council on Facebook and Instagram at STLDairyCouncil.