On National Farmers Day, Dairy MAX board member Kyndra Brown of Moo View Dairy helped bring the story of modern dairy farming to a national audience through a special feature on Good Morning America. The segment took viewers behind the scenes at her family's dairy in Texas, offering a firsthand look at the people, care and everyday decisions behind the dairy foods they enjoy.
Brown's appearance was part of Portraits of Modern Dairy, a national dairy checkoff initiative featuring seven women across six U.S. dairy farms. Led and funded by Dairy Management Inc. (DMI), the project uses photography, film and authentic farmer stories to give consumers a closer look at modern dairy farming and the people behind it.
Dairy MAX worked closely with DMI to help bring Brown's story to life, supporting the project and helping share the story of dairy farming with consumers across the country.
Watch the Good Morning America segment:
Giving Consumers a View From the Farm
Opening your farm to a national television audience is no small thing. But for Brown, it was an opportunity to help consumers see something most will never experience firsthand: where their dairy foods come from and the people behind them.
At Moo View Dairy, Brown farms alongside her family, including her parents, Joe and Debbie Schouten. Through photography, film and storytelling, the Portraits project captured more than images of a dairy farm. It offered a look at the decisions, relationships and everyday moments that make the farm work.
From caring for cows and managing a business to working alongside family and making decisions about natural resources, Brown's story highlights the knowledge, experience and dedication involved in producing dairy foods.
For Brown, sharing those experiences was an opportunity to create a connection with people who may never have the chance to meet a dairy farmer.
"Most people don't have the opportunity to visit a dairy farm, so being able to share what we do and why we do it is really important," Brown said. "I hope people see the love that goes into producing their food and feel a little more connected to the farmers and families behind it."
Seven Women, Six Farms, One Bigger Dairy Story
While Brown's appearance on Good Morning America brought national attention to Moo View Dairy, her story is one of seven featured in Portraits of Modern Dairy.
The project brings together seven women across six U.S. dairy farms, each offering a different perspective on what it means to be a dairy farmer today.
No two dairy farms look exactly alike. Each has its own history, routines and challenges, shaped by the people who know it best. Across all six farms, the project highlights how farmers continually learn, build on experience, apply new ideas and adapt how the work gets done.
Through photography, video and the farmers' own words, Portraits offers an inside look at the decisions that often go unseen. Some involve data and technology, while others rely on close observation and years of experience. All are part of caring for animals, leading a business and keeping a farm moving forward.
The stories also highlight the relationships that make dairy farming possible, from families and employees to veterinarians, nutritionists and the communities surrounding each farm.
Together, these seven women offer consumers a fuller picture of modern dairy farming and a closer connection to the people who produce their food.
Watch the Portraits of Modern Dairy hero video featuring all seven women:
Turning Farmer Stories Into Consumer Connections
For dairy farmers, Portraits of Modern Dairy is an example of what their checkoff investment can make possible beyond the farm gate.
Most consumers will never walk through a dairy barn or spend a morning alongside a dairy farmer. Through investments in photography, film, storytelling and media relationships, checkoff can bring those experiences to consumers instead, placing authentic farmer voices in channels with the potential to reach audiences far beyond agriculture.
Brown's appearance on Good Morning America extended that work to a national audience, giving viewers an opportunity to see dairy farming through the experience of someone who lives it every day.
And the opportunity doesn't end with one television segment. The photographs, videos and farmer stories created through Portraits of Modern Dairy can continue reaching consumers long after the initial campaign, helping show how dairy farmers care for their animals, manage their farms and produce the foods consumers enjoy.
That is the larger purpose behind the investment: helping consumers better understand where their food comes from, introducing them to the farmers behind it and building trust in dairy through authentic stories.
Sharing Dairy's Story Beyond the Farm Gate
Every dairy farmer has a story worth telling. Portraits of Modern Dairy demonstrates how bringing those stories together can help consumers see an industry that is diverse, innovative and continually evolving.
For Brown, the opportunity comes back to creating understanding between the farm and the people who enjoy the milk, cheese and yogurt dairy farmers produce.
For dairy farmers across the country, it is another example of how their checkoff investment is working to bring their stories, expertise and commitment to consumers who might otherwise never see them.
Explore the complete Portraits of Modern Dairy collection at USDairy.com/Portraits.
