A LETTER FROM CHAD VINCENT, CEO, DAIRY FARMERS OF WISCONSIN (DFW)
Dear Wisconsin Dairy Farmers,
Every day, you put time, care, and hard work into your cows, your land, and your farm’s future. Through your dairy checkoff, you also invest alongside fellow farmers in building consumer demand for the products made with your milk.
At Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin, our job is to make that investment work for you—today and in the future.
Over the past year we worked side by side with our board in a “Framing the Future” long-term strategy process. Together, we took a close look at our strategies, programs, and results. We listened to farmers, industry partners, and outside organizations. We asked what a strong future for Wisconsin dairy should look like and where DFW can make the greatest difference.
After 12 months of thoughtful review, your elected farmer Board of Directors helped establish a clear direction. Our future is all about M.I.L.K.: Marketing, International, Local Initiatives, and Keys to the Future.
MARKETING: Give people more reasons—and more opportunities—to choose Wisconsin Cheese. Ninety percent of Wisconsin’s milk goes into cheese, and 90% of that cheese is sold outside our state. That makes growing demand for Wisconsin Cheese central to our work. Wisconsin Cheese is already available in 99% of U.S. grocery stores. Working with leading grocery chains, cheesemakers, and processors, we help expand the selection shoppers can find and encourage them to buy. Advertising, media stories and opportunities to taste our cheese show consumers why Wisconsin Cheese belongs at the top of their shopping lists.
INTERNATIONAL: Open doors to future growth. Nearly one-fifth of Wisconsin’s milk reaches consumers beyond our borders as dairy products. Our strength in specialty cheese creates opportunities to reach even more of those customers. By connecting Wisconsin processors with international buyers, we help build relationships and open markets for products made with your milk.
LOCAL INITIATIVES: Help Wisconsin consumers see and hear the farmers behind their food. Trust starts with connection. Through Born To Dairy™ and Wisconsin Dairy Month, we bring your stories to life and invite people to experience Wisconsin dairy firsthand. These efforts help keep our state a leader in consumer trust in dairy farmers while giving families more reasons to enjoy and feel proud of Wisconsin dairy.
KEYS TO THE FUTURE: Support the ideas that move dairy forward. Research and innovation help turn your milk into new possibilities. Through support for the Center for Dairy Research, we help Wisconsin cheesemakers and processors improve products, solve challenges, and develop new uses for dairy that meet changing consumer needs.
Across these priorities, responsible use of your checkoff dollars remains essential. This Annual Report shares how your investment was used and what that work accomplished.
Thank you for allowing us the privilege of serving you. It is your hard work that makes everything we do possible, and together, we are securing a strong future for Wisconsin dairy.
With gratitude,
Chad Vincent
CEO, Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin