September 2017 Board Book

An instrumentality of the Department of Food & Agriculture, State of California

California Milk Advisory Board

2316 Orchard Parkway

Tracy, CA 95377

______________________________________________

209 883-MILK ∙

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Jennifer Giambroni

California Milk Advisory Board

(209) 690-8244

CALIFORNIA DAIRY FAMILIES TELL THE REAL PEOPLE STORY OF

CALIFORNIA MILK IN NEW SOCIAL SERIES

“California Dairy Stories” videos further connect consumers with family farmers behind the

Real California Milk seal

TRACY, Calif. – August 17, 2017 – Family, hard work and responsibility are all key themes that

come through in “California Dairy Stories”, a new social media series launched today by the

California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB). The series, which captures short day-in-the-life

moments from real California dairy families, was created to continue to connect consumers with

the real people behind the Real California Milk seal.

Like life, it’s not all work and no play for the 1300 dairy families who farm in California. From

tractor pulls to stroopwafels, the series of 12 short videos tell very personal stories of the families

who farm in California and look to pass this tradition to the next generation.

Each moment demonstrates the variety of the dairy industry in California, which spans the state

and is responsible for over 40 billion pounds of milk each year. For Tony Louters of Merced, who

stepped away from a planned career as a CPA, going into farming means being able to spend time

with his family, including daughter Alexis who is applying the values of hard work she learned on

the farm to her studies as a speech therapist. Fourth-generation producer, Megan Silva, uses her

early morning run to help prepare for the challenges of three business, 12 barns and three kids.

And David Jones uses his lens as an amateur photographer to tell the story of California

agriculture.

“Real California Milk is about real food from real people. These short slices of California dairy

life not only help consumers connect with the California dairy families who put the food on their

tables but also create a better understanding of how we share the same values and experiences,”

said Michael Freeman, VP of advertising for CMAB. “We pass on family traditions, we squeeze

fitness into our busy lives and our kids often aspire to go into the family business. For farm

families, though, that family business is nourishing the world.”

The multigenerational story of family dairy farming in California is evident in each video

vignette. From sharing traditional recipes to teaching the tools to become successful in farming,

what comes through is the love of family, love of community and the gratitude for being in an

industry that allows them to share the fruits of their labor with the world while continuously

working to preserve the tradition of farming for the next generation.