SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. & MODESTO, Calif. – Revelers at the 2016 Tournament of Roses® Parade will have a chance to celebrate California dairy foods and farming in addition to the New Year thanks to a new float from Real California Milk. The float, the first for the California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB), also will feature two lucky young dairy leader winners of a recently announced video contest.
The “Keep it Real with California Dairy” Video Contest, which celebrates the real food and real farmers behind California dairy, offers California members of Future Farmers of America (FFA), California Holstein Association (CHA) and junior members of the California Jersey Cattle Association (CJCA)* an opportunity to share their passion for communicating about the industry with consumers. Two grand prize winners will enjoy a trip to the 2016 Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, Calif., to ride on the CMAB Rose Parade float and participate in related activities. One runner-up winner will also enjoy a trip to Pasadena to take part in select Tournament of Roses activities.
“This contest is created specifically for future dairy leaders who have dedicated their young lives to connecting consumers with where their food comes from,” said John Talbot, CEO of the CMAB. “We are excited to give them a platform for sharing their point-of-view with a broader audience.”
The dairy industry plays an important role in the economics of California. Dairy farming and dairy processing added approximately $21 billion in value added to the state’s economic gross state product in 2014. The dairy industry – including sales of inputs to dairy farms and milk processors along with raw milk and wholesale milk product sales – contributed $65 billion in total sales to California last year.
“By partnering with the CMAB, we hope to foster goodwill and excitement for dairy and the agricultural industry,” said Joelle Lewis, California State FFA President. “With this contest, we look forward to inspiring the next generation and sharing what makes farming such a unique and necessary profession with a larger audience.”
“As an organization that has been in existence for 130 years, we are pleased to partner with the CMAB as we continue to promote and celebrate the dairy farming industry – today and for future generations,” stated Cathy Sanders of the CJCA.
This sentiment is echoed by Kate Teixeira of the CHA, who reports that “Educating our youth and empowering them to enter the field is a priority and it is thrilled to partner with CMAB to excite the youth of our industry and to encourage their participation in all aspects of dairy farming.”
Young dairy leaders are invited to share a video of up to a 30-seconds on any one of three topics:
- Dare to Dairy Challenge – By capturing a fun, friendly competition, such as an ice cream eat-off.
- Keep it Real – By telling a behind-the-scenes story about the real life of dairy farming.
- Udderly Cool Eats – By showing cooking skills (or favorite usage tips) featuring Real California dairy foods and ingredients.
Video entries can be uploaded to the California Dairy Pressroom (www.californiadairypressroom.com) from June 23 through September 30, 2015. Winners will be picked by a CMAB committee based on the entry’s originality, creativity and relevancy to the theme. If winner is under the age of 18, travel expenses will be included for one additional adult chaperon. Each prize is valued at approximately $1,500.
*Aged 13 years and older
About the Tournament of Roses®
The Tournament of Roses is a volunteer organization that annually hosts the Rose Parade®, the Rose Bowl Game® and a variety of associated events. Nine hundred thirty-five volunteer members act as ambassadors of the organization and contribute upwards of 80,000 hours of manpower each year. The 127th Rose parade presented by Honda and themed “Find Your Adventure,” will take place Friday, January 1, 2016, followed by the 102nd Rose Bowl Game presented by Northwestern Mutual. Learn more at www.tournamentofroses.com and on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
About the California Milk Advisory Board
The California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB), an instrumentality of the California Department of Food and Agriculture, is funded by the state’s more than 1,450 dairy families. With headquarters in South San Francisco and Modesto, the CMAB is one of the largest commodity boards in the United States. The CMAB executes advertising, public relations, research and retail and foodservice promotional programs on behalf of California dairy products, including Real California Milk and Real California Cheese. For more information about California dairy products, visit www.RealCaliforniaMilk.com, like Real California Milk at Facebook.com/RealCaliforniaMilk, follow at Twitter.com/RealCalifMilk, pin at Pinterest.com/RealCalifMilk and follow on Instagram @RealCalifMilk. Contact: Rayanne Zackery, Ketchum for the California Milk Advisory Board, rayanne.zackery@ketchum.com
Source: California Milk Advisory Board
