Surrounded by dairy farmers and industry leaders, Missouri Gov. Mike Parson on June 8 proclaimed June as Dairy Month.
The proclamation recognizes the hard work and contributions of our dairy farmers statewide, said Reagan Bluel, University of Missouri Extension dairy specialist and educational director for Missouri Dairy.
Annually, the dairy industry in Missouri generates more than 24,000 jobs in production, process and distribution throughout the state and $3 billion of economic impact to the state’s gross domestic product, Bluel said. Farmers statewide are committed to producing the highest-quality milk every day.
Dairy foods provide an excellent source of protein, with essential amino acids important for human health. Additionally, dairy provides important sources of calcium, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, vitamins A, D and B12, and riboflavin.
For more than 100 years, University of Missouri Extension has extended university-based knowledge beyond the campus into all counties of the state. In doing so, extension has strengthened families, businesses and communities.
