Every June, National Dairy Month gives us an opportunity to celebrate the dairy farmers who make this work possible. At Dairy MAX, National Dairy Month is a chance to honor dairy farmers for the care, commitment and hard work they bring every day, while also showing how their checkoff investment is helping build a stronger future for dairy.
From grocery carts and school cafeterias to sports partnerships, restaurant menus, online shopping and global opportunities, farmer-funded programs are helping keep dairy visible, relevant and chosen. Together, these investments are driving demand, building trust and creating long-term opportunity for dairy.
Putting Dairy on Bigger Stages
Dairy is showing up in places where culture, sports and food naturally come together.
As the 2026 FIFA World Cup approaches, Dairy MAX, along with other state and regional checkoff organizations, are preparing to connect with consumers during one of the largest sporting events in the world. With 48 teams, 104 matches and games hosted across three countries, the World Cup creates a major opportunity to reach multicultural audiences and position dairy in shared, celebratory food moments. In total, World Cup related efforts are projected to drive the sale of more than 3 million incremental milk pounds.
That same connection between dairy, sports and community is showing up across the Dairy MAX region in every season. Through partnerships with Wyoming Athletics, Texas Tech Athletics and the Dallas Cowboys, dairy is part of game days, athlete recovery messaging and programs that support student wellness.
Dairy MAX has also worked with more than 50 collegiate athletes to share dairy-focused content online, resulting in more than 190 posts that bring dairy nutrition into the conversations and platforms students already engage with. A Texas Tech NIL campaign further amplified that message, generating more than 1.9 million views and 20,446 engagements.
Driving Demand Where Consumers Make Choices
Farmer-funded programs are also helping dairy show up where purchasing decisions happen. Through partnerships across foodservice, retail and e-commerce, Dairy MAX is working to keep dairy top of mind. Foodservice collaborations with a smoothie chain, Krystal and Marco’s help bring dairy-forward options to consumers through familiar, craveable menu moments, including a Marco’s Pizza promotion that drove a 2 million incremental milk pound increase.
At retail, partnerships with H-E-B, Albertsons, Kroger and Rouses support dairy education, promotion and shopper engagement. Through H-E-B, Dairy MAX supported dairy education for clinicians, with 85% of participating clinicians reporting they were very comfortable recommending three daily servings of dairy. Online, partnerships with platforms such as Instacart extend dairy's reach into the digital aisles where today's consumers increasingly shop. As more households plan meals, discover new products and purchase groceries through digital platforms, these partnerships ensure dairy remains visible and top of mind throughout the entire shopping experience.
Building Trust Through Schools and Food Access
Dairy MAX is partnering with school districts on whole milk pilot programs that give students the opportunity to enjoy whole milk alongside current options. This work builds on the momentum of the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act, which expanded opportunities for whole and 2% milk in schools. Beginning June 8, 2026, a USDA final rule will allow whole and 2% milk in more child nutrition programs, including school breakfast, afternoon snacks, preschool meals and others. These pilots can help schools see how expanded milk choices support student satisfaction, participation and overall enjoyment of school meals.
Beyond schools, Dairy MAX is helping support food access through partnerships with food banks and pantries. Milk is one of the most requested but least available items at food pantries, and Dairy MAX’s cooler program helps address that barrier by providing storage for dairy products.
To date, Dairy MAX has placed 92 coolers across the region. Since the program began, participating pantries have provided more than 724,000 gallons of milk and 13 million pounds of dairy products.
Dairy MAX is also exploring opportunities to help more families connect with nutrition resources through WIC, SNAP and tools like Single Stop. Together with schools, food banks, health care providers, retailers and community partners, this work helps connect more people with affordable, nutrient-rich dairy foods while strengthening dairy’s role as a trusted nutrition partner.
Reaching the Next Generation
As consumer habits change, Dairy MAX is finding new ways to keep dairy relevant with younger audiences.
Better With Dairy was created to connect with Gen Z through food, culture, nutrition and everyday moments. In its first year, Better With Dairy delivered results, including 140 million digital impressions and 378,000 visits to BetterWithDairy.com, where recipe pages were the number one traffic driver.
Dairy MAX is also reaching younger audiences through Level Unlocked, a youth performance brand that connects real dairy to teens in their everyday lives. Level Unlocked highlights how dairy can support focus, energy and performance. The campaign drove nearly $600,000 in dairy sales, along with more than 2 million impressions from sponsored products and display ads.
Youth sports continue to be another important opportunity to reach athletes and families. Through performance-focused resources and partnerships, Dairy MAX helps show how dairy foods, including chocolate milk, can support refueling and recovery after activity.
Powered by Dairy Farmers
Every campaign, partnership and program starts with dairy farmers. From the MILK Emerging Leaders Program to Fueled by Farmers cooler grants, Dairy MAX is investing in programs that support leadership, education, access and long-term demand for dairy. These efforts help dairy show up in more places, reach more people and create more opportunities for the future.
This National Dairy Month, Dairy MAX is proud to celebrate the farmers powering this work and the impact they make possible every day.
