For thousands of fairgoers, the annual trip to the Great New York State Fair isn’t complete without a stop at The Rainbow Milk Bar for a cup of 25-cent, ice-cold white or chocolate milk.
Now, Fairgoers can donate their spare change to the Great American Milk Drive and help ensure more families can get milk year-round, announced the American Dairy Association and Dairy Council and State Fair Acting Director Troy Waffner.
Through The Great American Milk Drive, dairy farmers and milk processors, in partnership with Feeding America, are helping to give much needed nutrient-rich milk to millions of hungry families. There is a nationwide shortage because milk is rarely donated.
“Milk is one of the most highly requested items at food banks throughout the country,” says American Dairy Association and Dairy Council CEO Rick Naczi. “To help provide more milk to families who depend on these facilities, we are asking fairgoers to donate a quarter for every cup of milk they purchase. We’re calling this campaign “Get One, and Give One Too.” If just a fraction of the people that visit the Milk Bar donate, we’d raise $22,000 and that would buy a lot of milk.”
Donations to support the Great American Milk Drive will be accepted at every milk station at The Rainbow Milk Bar. All proceeds will be earmarked for milk purchases and distributed to food banks throughout New York.
“The Rainbow Milk Bar is one of the Fair’s most popular exhibits, and it’s become a tradition for families to stop by and get a cup of ice-cold milk. It promotes the health benefits of milk and supports our dairy farmers. Now, Fairgoers can use their love of dairy to give back, and help get fresh, nutritious milk to other families in their communities,” said Waffner.
New York is one of the nation’s top milk producers yet, on average, the state’s food banks are only able to provide about one gallon of milk per year to each of the families they serve. The Great American Milk Drive will help close that gap and encourage donations.
“Local fluid milk companies such as HP Hood, Upstate Farms and Byrne Dairy support The Great American Milk Drive in many ways,” said Bruce Krupke, Chairman of the Dairy Products Building Task Force. “We encourage Fairgoers to help by making a small donation when they enjoy their nutritious cup of white or chocolate milk. Together, the dairy farmer, milk processor and consumers can really make a difference for those in need.”
The Rainbow Milk Bar, located in the Dairy Products Building at the Great New York State Fair, serves approximately 30,000 fairgoers per day throughout the 12 days at the Fair. On an average day, the Rainbow Milk Bar will serve 1,500 gallons of chocolate milk and 400 gallons of whole milk. Milk is delivered to the Rainbow Milk Bar one to two times per day, depending on demand.
The Dairy Products building is also home to the world famous butter sculpture, YO2GO yogurt bar made with milk processed at the Cornell Dairy Plant, along with a variety of New York ice creams, custards and cheeses. This year, Dairy Day at the New York State Fair is Aug. 31.
New York State’s dairy industry generates more than $3.5 billion in farm-gate sales, constituting approximately one-half of the state’s total agricultural receipts. The state is a leading producer of milk in the nation, with 615,000 dairy cows producing more than 13.7 billion pounds of milk annually.
Source – Dairy Agenda