Our History

The Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, Inc., dba Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin, is a non-profit organization funded entirely by Wisconsin's dairy farm families. The organization has been created to increase the sale and consumption of Wisconsin milk and dairy products.

Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin is farmer-owned and farmer-directed. Our 25 dairy farmer board members are elected by their peers for three-year terms. Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin’s farmer-directors have direct involvement in planning and monitoring the organization’s marketing and promotional programs which are conducted by a staff of marketing, research and communications professionals.

Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin has a comprehensive array of promotional resources, programs and merchandising tools that touch every link in the state and national food marketing chain at the retail, foodservice and food processing level.
 

At the national level:

• Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin's Regional Marketing Managers work with Wisconsin processors and national grocery and foodservice operators and distributors to ensure that the more than 600 varieties, types and styles of Wisconsin cheese are available and promoted in all major U.S. markets. These regional marketing experts provide a vital link between Wisconsin’s dairy business and a customer base of more than 300 million consumers.
• Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin's communications, advertising and public relations activities involve national food industry and consumer media outlets and showcase the products, people and expertise that set Wisconsin apart from the rest of the U.S. dairy industry.
• Cheese education materials, promotional seminars and Wisconsin industry tours help food distributors, brokers, chefs and food writers experience the taste, versatility and marketability of our cheeses and see why our licensed cheesemakers win more awards than any other state or nation.
• Year-round seasonal cheese promotion and merchandising programs feature in-store point-of-sale materials, recipes, advertising, and in-store demonstrations which help grocery stores build excitement and sales for Wisconsin cheese.

 

At the state and local levels:

• Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin provides support for the Wisconsin Center for Dairy Research (CDR) at UW Madison – a world class dairy research and applications facility that works closely with our state’s manufacturers to make sure that our cheese and dairy products meet the highest standards for quality and safety. CDR also helps develop new cutting edge applications for dairy ingredients.
• More than 60 County Dairy Leader Groups receive Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin support to help them showcase our dairy industry in local communities across in Wisconsin. These dedicated volunteers share positive dairy messages through local dairy promotions, farm tours and dairy education programs in our schools.
• Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin has dedicated staff to work with school nutrition staff and teachers to promote the nutritional benefits of dairy products for students. They also work with Wisconsin's Alice in Dairyland and state media outlets to educate Wisconsin residents about the role of dairy products in a healthy diet.