Carrie Mess, better known as “Dairy Carrie,” recently jump-started one group of dairy producers to tell their story, just in time for Dairy Month.
On May 29, Mess spoke during the Kewaunee Dairy Promotion group’s June Dairy Month Kickoff Breakfast held near Luxemburg, Wisconsin. The event drew over 150 people to honor local dairy families and educate community business leaders over a hearty breakfast of sausage, bacon, eggs, French toast, potatoes and, of course, milk.
A self-proclaimed city girl from Madison, Wisconsin, Mess fell in love with a dairy farmer and his cows, too. She blogs about her farm life experiences and has created a strong following as the beloved dairy darling of the social media world. Last year, her online accounts posted on “The Adventures of Dairy Carrie” reached over 1.1 million people.
Mess’s motivation to educate others about agriculture come from her own challenges in making food choices.
“I understand that conversations about food are confusing,” she stated, giving the example of labels that tout taglines like “GMO-free,” “all natural” or “humanely raised.”
“These labels have created a lot of confusion,” she added.
Too often, consumers are seeking clarification and information on these labels through non-credible sources, such as the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) or People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).
“Who should be answering these questions?” Mess asked. “Farmers.”
Mess challenged dairy farmers in the audience to have a voice and a presence – either online or in person.
“Be on social media,” she said, encouraging producers to talk about their farms on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram. Your connections, she explained, are people who are already interested in what is going on in your life and who trust what you have to say. Reach out to friends and followers with postings of everyday farm life, as even the simple, ordinary things may strike up an online conversation.
For those who aren’t social media butterflies, Mess pressed on the importance of reaching out to customers personally. This was a lesson she learned from her dairy farmer father-in-law, watching him approach milk buyers at the gas station or grocery store with a handshake and a sincere message of thanks.
“That experience (for the consumer) is going to trump any video they see on YouTube later,” she added.
Mess also had a message for non-farm folks.
“Follow farmers in your own community,” she said. “Follow them, learn from them.”
Getting the word out about where food comes from, whether it be in person or online, is more important now than ever, Mess explained. With the world population projected to reach 9 billion people by 2050, the global demand for food will grow, too. Not only is there pressure to produce more protein and plant food sources, but the challenge is greater as farmers must do that with less land and water and fewer resources.
It is going to take farms of all types and sizes to meet demand. That includes both big and small, conventional and organic and anything in between.
She concluded, “There is no perfect type of farm to handle the job.” PD
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Photo by Peggy Coffeen.
