Checkoff Continues Partnership With Brand Names

California dairy producer and Chairwoman of the National Dairy Board, Kimberly Clauss, was our guest on Monday’s “DMI Update” this week. She talked about the partnerships between the dairy check off and brand name chains, calling it “good news for dairy farmers.”

Kimberly Clauss [ 0:01 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

She said she actually sees her check off dollars at work whenever she drives into her local McDonalds or orders a Domino pizza. The latest venture with McDonalds is the McCafe line of beverages, now offered in 14,000 outlets across the U.S., she said, and these beverages use 80 percent more milk.

Another example of check off dollars at work is Dominos where dairy farmers partnered in the new “Legends” line of pizza. These six new pizzas use 40 percent more cheese, she said, but the check off is also developing a healthier pizza targeted for schools in an effort to make kids lifelong consumers of dairy.

Pizza sales have slipped in recent years but the check off is working to reverse that, according to Clauss, because pizza is so vital to dairy producers. More cheese is consumed on pizza than anywhere else, she said, “So we in the dairy industry realize the need to help the pizza industry and work with our powerful partner, be it Dominos or other pizza chains, to create more demand for our product.”