Dairy, Animal Agriculture Unite Around Issues, Crisis Priorities

It’s not uncommon for members of the dairy checkoff’s issues and crisis team to receive a late-night text message asking, “have you seen this?”

The sender usually is Hannah Thompson-Weeman from the Animal Agriculture Alliance and she isn’t sharing a trendy recipe or humorous TikTok video. Instead, her outreach usually is focused on something that is less than positive toward the dairy industry or animal agriculture in general. Her intent is to make sure the checkoff team is aware of something that could range from a negative news story to insights about a new animal rights activism strategy.

The underlying message, however, is that animal agriculture is connected and has each other’s backs.

Dairy Management Inc. (DMI) and several state and regional checkoff teams are members of the Alliance and receive more than late-night text alerts from the organization. The Alliance has a wealth of resources and tracks the activities of 175 organizations that are formed to harm the reputation of animal agriculture and drive people toward alternative plant-based or animal-free diets. Additionally, checkoff teams nationally and locally keep the Alliance apprised of activities that hit their radar.

The Alliance was created in 1987 to assemble farmers, ranchers, veterinarians, animal feed companies, animal health companies, processors, allied associations, including checkoffs, and others that are part of the process of getting food from the farm to the table.

These introductions and interactions with other aspects of animal agriculture are a benefit to all.

“There’s this greater ecosystem of animal-sourced products and industries, associations and checkoffs and we are fully connected for the greater good,” said Lisa McComb, senior vice president of communications for DMI and an Animal Agriculture Alliance board member. “The camaraderie is excellent. We have a shared understanding of what each other faces and can offer counsel and resources.”

Tricia Sheehan, vice president of crisis communications and issues for DMI, said having these relationships already established is invaluable.

“We have these relationships in place now because the worst time to build a relationship is in the middle of a crisis,” Sheehan said. “That’s why these alliances are so important because we know the right players so when something hits, we know who to connect with quickly.”

The coordination and monitoring of issues extends far beyond the activism world. McComb said topics such as PFAS contamination that has impacted farms, including dairy, is discussed among Alliance members. So are other subjects such as alternative products to authentic animal-based foods and many aspects of sustainability, animal care, farming practices and much, much more.

It’s not uncommon for Sheehan to speak with members from other industries to compare notes and share intel on a particular subject. They discuss which strategies worked and which ones didn’t.

“Knowing we can call up someone in beef, for example, and ask, ‘how did you deal with this? or ‘how did it play out?’ makes our animal agriculture industry bigger than when we work as separate entities,” Sheehan said. “We obviously have our own knowledge and info but it’s always beneficial to call someone else for their insights. We need extra resources and tools, so being part of these groups allows us to expand our toolbox.”

McComb points out there is a very proactive side to the Animal Agriculture Alliance. DMI supports the organization’s College Aggies Online program, which is designed to foster the agriculture ambassadors of tomorrow through mentoring with industry professionals, including those from the dairy checkoff.

“Being able to tap such a rich network of college-aged student ambassadors is super valuable,” McComb said. “This is another example of how we have greater strength when we work together instead of doing it alone.”

The North American Meat Institute, an Alliance member, formed a complementary effort last year called the Protein PACT (People, Animals and Climate of Tomorrow). Its mission is for partners across animal protein groups to unite “in the largest-ever effort to strengthen animal protein’s contributions to healthy people, healthy animals, healthy communities and a healthy environment.”

Among the Protein PACT’s strategies is a social media campaign called “It’s Your Plate” that is aimed at millennials to generate awareness and dispel myths related to the consumption of animal-based protein foods. The campaign will launch in the first quarter of 2022.

“These other organizations face the same challenges that we do in dairy when it comes to building trust and sales, so we decided to join together to have greater impact,” McComb said. “We can do proactive communications outreach to reach millennials with the goal of having them feel good about the animal-based proteins they are consuming.

“It was very logical for us to join. We’re not competing groups. We complement one another as an animal ag community. We’re wisely using farmer resources by participating together and it’s another way we extend our checkoff dollars.”

McComb and Sheehan said the dairy checkoff also engages with other organizations including U.S. Farmers and Ranchers In Action and a cross-species group that focuses specifically on foot-and-mouth disease crisis preparedness and awareness.

What they have found through their various agriculture-wide interactions is that it’s better to work in partnership than in isolation.

“We’re all in the same boat,” McComb said. “When we can share resources and knowledge and experience and proactive recommendations, we are stronger together. We’re one powerful and united voice for farmers working hard to produce our food.”

To learn more about your national dairy checkoff, visit www.USDairy.com or send a request to join our Facebook group. To reach us directly, send an email to TalkToTheCheckoff@dairy.org.