Here are a few updates on your checkoff activities here in Virginia. If you have any questions or need promotional materials please contact me.
Elizabeth Moretz  emoretz@sedairy.org  828-406-9482
Dairy Farming Highlighted at Statewide Breakfast Challenge Kickoff
The ADA of Virginia is one of many partners working together with Virginia First Lady Dorothy McAuliffe to launch a statewide breakfast challenge this fall. Winning schools will be chosen based on an increase in breakfast participation, which also means more milk and dairy products sold. A Breakfast Challenge kickoff event was held on August 31 at Heritage Elementary School in Lynchburg. Students received a visit from First Lady Dorothy McAuliffe, who joined students for breakfast and spoke at a school assembly. Also attending was former NFL player Reggie Barlow, an advocate for Fuel Up to Play 60 and child nutrition. Students enjoyed nutrition education stations and a visit from Franklin County dairy farmer Donnie Montgomery. Donnie brought two dairy calves and talked with students about dairy farming. The kickoff event was covered extensively by several local television and newspaper outlets. Click here  to view one of the segments.

Photo: Students at Heritage Elementary visit with Virginia First Lady Dorothy McAuliffe (left) and dairy calves provided by Franklin County dairy farmer Donnie Montgomery (right).
Dairy Videos Running at 260 Grocery Stores
Virginia State Dairyman's Association and the ADA of Virginia have partnered to sponsor a video retail project that aims to clear up some common myths about dairy. These Shelftalk videos are running on small video players located in the dairy aisle and will activate when a shopper walks by the unit. The videos are in 260 grocery stores across the state and will run through October 9.  
Dairy in the Media 
In August, staffer Lisa Raum promoted the importance of dairy at breakfast with various media outlets, including a radio interview on WSVA- 550 in Harrisonburg and on Virginia This Morning, Channel 6 WTVR-TV in Richmond. The Roanoke Times also included an article that focused on dairy and highlighted the DMI video series Acres and Avenues that was released earlier this year and featured Laura and Scott Flory, dairy farmers from Dublin. Click here  to read the article.
 
Photo: Staffer Lisa Raum (left) discusses dairy's role at breakfast on WTVR-TV in Richmond.
Milk Sponsorship at Olympic Games is a Big Success
White milk made a splash this summer as the Milk LifeĀ® campaign supported Team USA as an official sponsor of the 2016 Summer Olympic games. The Milk LifeĀ® campaign is part of the Milk Processor Education Program (MilkPEP) which is funded by the nation's milk companies. White milk was promoted through contests, in-store promotions, television, digital and print ads as well as social media.
With the support of Team Milk athletes and the entire dairy industry, Milk Life was listed among the top five brands for social media engagement during the Summer Games in Rio. Milk Life ranked #4, above Proctor & Gamble and just after Nike, Coke and United. With this high-profile media coverage and the support of industry partners, we're off to a powerful start in what is only the first year of the Olympic sponsorship. Click here to read more about the results of the sponsorship.