Did you know U.S. dairy farms produce roughly 21 billion gallons of milk annually? Or did you know dairy farmers begin their day before almost all of us, at 4 o’clock in the morning? How about this one: Did you know dairy farmers are experts in biology, meteorology, animal behavior, chemistry, and technology… all to make sure that you get the top quality dairy products to consume?
Without the hard work and dedication of America’s dairy farmers, we probably wouldn’t find the good milk and all the other healthy dairy products that we usually find in our local grocery stores. Generally, we tend to take these things for granted. We don’t entirely know how the milk of a cow eventually ends up being manufactured, sold, and eventually in each and every one of our refrigerators. Behind the scenes, dairy farmers are constantly in action, working endlessly, and providing us with some of the most vital resources we need to live.
Back at the 2017 FUTP 60 Student Ambassador Summit in Minneapolis, MN, I was honored to meet just two of the many amazing dairy farmers in our great nation. I was also given the opportunity of visiting a dairy farm in the countryside of Minnesota. It was hands down, one of the most unique and interesting experiences of my life. From milking baby calves to walking through huge barns filled with hundreds of cows, I would gladly do it again in a heartbeat!
In honor of this year’s National Farmers Day, we’d like to thank and express our gratitude towards some of the real heroes of this great nation. Dear dairy farmers, you’re very much appreciated and we really wouldn’t have made it this far without you. Thank you!
Viren
New Jersey
10th Grade