By: Nikki Nies 
June is National Dairy Month! Now more than ever is the time to praise the contributions that dairy provides and recognize dairy rich foods.
In the past 63 years, the dairy industry has reduced its carbon footprint by 63%. This reduction is a testament to dairy farms’ integrity to produce quality dairy products for all parties. Many of the initial farms are still family run and operate as swiftly as ever.
Better yet, dairy farms continue to evolve, recognizing their role in sustainability. When dairy farms are looking for more sustainability ideas, they don’t have to look much farther than the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy in Sunnyside, Washington. This facility has saved over 20% on energy costs in 5 of its free stall barns.
How to best celebrate Dairy Month you ask? On average, people consume only 2 servings of dairy a day. So, celebrate National Dairy Month by having your recommended 3 servings of low fat or fat free dairy a day! With such servings, one is promoting optimal bone health, best deliver nutrients to the body and help reduce the of diseases.
One serving of dairy is: 1 cup (8 oz) of low-fat or fat-free milk, 1 cup (8 oz) low-fat or fat-free yogurt, 1.5 ounces reduced-fat natural cheese (e.g. Cheddar), 2 ounces reduced-fat processed cheese (e.g. American), 1/3 cup reduced-fat shredded cheese
Thank you dairy producers and processors for providing us with calcium and vitamin D packed products!
Sources:http://www.idfa.org/news-views/media-kits/cheese/june-is-national-dairy-month
http://www.midwestdairy.com/0t256p282/june-dairy-month/
http://blogs.usda.gov/tag/national-dairy-month/
Click to access 30-Days-of-Dairy.pdf
http://dairyutnv.blogspot.com/2013/04/sustainability-where-does-dairy-fit-in.html
wedishnutrition.wordpress.com 