June 1, designated as World Milk Day, is the launch of National Dairy Month in the U.S. The month of June has held this title since the late 1930s, making it the perfect time to celebrate the many contributions the dairy industry makes not only to the economy, but also to the health of consumers.
Consistently ranked as one of the fastest growing dairy states, Kansas has doubled its milk production since 1994 and now is a $1 billion industry. Combined, the direct impact of the dairy cattle and milk production sectors on the state’s economy is $738.96 million in output and 1,032 jobs, according to a Kansas Department of Agriculture economic report. With indirect and induced effects included, the total impact increases to $1.4 billion in output and 3,934 jobs.
When it comes to nutrition, dairy products make many positive contributions. Milk contains 13 essential nutrients like high-quality protein, calcium, zinc, and vitamins A, B and D. These are important for muscle repair, maintaining strong bones and teeth and supporting a healthy immune system.
Throughout the month of June, KLA will be making Kansas residents aware of the hard work dairy farmers put in each day to provide high-quality products to consumers by distributing information about the positive impacts the dairy industry has on local communities and the state’s economy through KLA social media channels.
More information about the Kansas dairy industry and the KLA Dairy Council can be found by clicking here (www.kla.org/dairy).
