New York State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball recently kicked off June Dairy Month at Castleton Elementary School in Castleton-on-Hudson for the first event in the department’s annual Dairy Education Days series.
As part of a collaboration with American Dairy Association North East, the series brings members of the department to elementary school classrooms across the state to help kids learn about New York’s dairy community.
The dairy industry is the largest segment of New York’s agricultural sector. Other Dairy Month events and activities include department tours of New York’s dairy farms and state-of-the-art dairy processing plants across the state, including establishments in Central New York, the Southern Tier, and Western New York, and special promotions at Taste NY Markets around the state.
“New York State is home to some of the most hardworking dairy farmers and dairy manufacturers who are producing and processing some of the very best dairy products in the world,” Ball said. “Dairy Month gives us all an opportunity to celebrate this incredible sector of our industry, as well as introduce the next generation of leaders to the value of understanding where our food comes from. We have a lot to be proud of when it comes to New York dairy, and I encourage everyone to join us in recognizing their local farms and processors this month and always.”
Throughout the month of June, the Department will highlight the sustainability practices of New York dairy producers and processors, as well as the public health work of the Department’s Milk Control and Dairy Service team, while promoting the importance of the dairy industry to New York’s economy and the health of our communities.
Source: fltimes.com
Photo Credit: USDA
Categories: New York, Education, Livestock, Dairy Cattle