As a registered dietician, Midwest Dairy's Molly Pelzer appreciates the message of dairy's health benefits.

"Back in the day when a food was healthy it was about the nutrition that it brought to the table. Now consumers have a different definition of healthy," Pelzer noted. "They want to know it was responsibly produced; how were the cows treated, how did the farmer take care of the air, and the land, and the soil?"

She feels her industry is meeting the challenge in communication and promotion to consumers in new ways, such as a recently introduced program.

"Called 'Undeniably Dairy' it talks about the real enjoyment of eating dairy how dairy is nutrient rich how it's locally produced and how it's responsibly produced as well."

Pelzer also acknowledges the marketing part of increased dairy consumption. Yes, the packaging, but perhaps more  important to consumers today, the contents inside.

"We have value-added products, higher protein, lower lactose, new flavor. So innovation and flavoring and packaging are very important to us," Pelzer added.


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