Last week, OCA’s political and media consultant, Charlotte Warren, attended the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) conference in Boca Raton, Fla. There she learned that Big Dairy is feeling “under attack” by consumers who, well, simply want to know what’s in their milk and cheese, how factory farm dairies treat their animals, and by the way just how much pollution are those farms unleashing into U.S. waterways?
But instead of focusing on addressing consumers’ legitimate concerns, Warren learned, Big Dairy has hired public relations firms and a team of young social media wizkids to post and tweet about the wonderful wholesomeness of milk (produced in unwholesome conditions using unwholesome practices).
Conference sessions included, “Partnering across the Dairy Industry to Better Understand Consumers,” “Top Hot Button Issues Keeping Dairy Executives Up at Night,” and “The Food Dialogues: Animal Care and Consumers’ Emerging Expectations.”
But the best session of all was “Telling the Milk Story: Safeguarding Consumer Confidence in Milk’s Goodness,” which included the launch of the “Get Real” social media campaign, complete with hashtag (#MilkTruth). And cowbells.
Yes, cowbells.
TAKE ACTION: Tell these Organic Dairies: Support Consumers, not the IDFA!