The dairy industry is meeting vaccine hesitancy head on in an effort to get the shot in the arms of rural America. Theresa Sweeney-Murphy with the National Milk Producers Federation said organization has tried to make itself a resource throughout the pandemic, particularly on its website.

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"We kept an up to date list of where states were and when farmers would be eligible. We've been trying to make it as easy as possible for farmers to find this information and then relay it as closely as we can to make the information relevant to farmers and their workers."

The NMPF, Sweeney-Murphy pointed out, has also worked to point folks in the right direction for local public health entities. The dairy industry is aiding vaccine progress by offering resources and directions to farmers and ranchers to get vaccinated.  

Sweeney-Murphy added if workers see farm managers get vaccinated, it will have a bigger impact than just reading about the importance of getting the shot.

"So having a personal connection to somebody who can talk about getting vaccinated and how they were affected. The safety of the vaccine firsthand, I think that's impactful for folks. Farmers are also leaders in their communities.”

Vaccine information is available in both Spanish and English via the NMPF’s website.

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