By Jenny Mills, NEAFA President
For the past eleven years, New York Animal Agriculture Coalition (NYAAC) has hosted the Dairy Cow Birthing Center at the New York State Fair. Literally, hundreds of thousands of people come to the large white tent at the West end of the fairgrounds to watch the birth of a calf and ask any question about agriculture and production practices to a group of volunteers, including many members of NEAFA. I had the opportunity to volunteer my first shift this year. I always leave energized about ag advocacy because of the many wonderful personal conversations we have about the dairy industry to consumers. Some quick observations from my time there:
People are curious. I found that the average conversation lasts several minutes, peppered with lots of questions about not only the calving process, but farming in general.
Most people appreciated the information and the fact it came from someone in the industry.
If you are curious what the most frequently asked question is – I would guess it is a tie with “When will the next cow calve?” (I always laugh and talk about the inability for me to predict Mother Nature’s work….. then talk about the signs of calving) and “Why do you remove the calf from the cow?” (Great opportunity to talk about animal safety, ensuring calf and cow get the care they need and make sure the calf gets colostrum)
Nothing fills a tent faster than the text message of “a cow is in active labor” does! NYAAC has a text message service that will alert fairgoers when a cow’s water breaks. Hundreds of people generally come back to the exhibit and are greeted by the dairy producer or industry volunteer that talk about the birthing process, along with positive messages about agriculture – good for the land, animal welfare, positive benefits of consuming dairy products and the overall positive impact of agriculture on the economy.
This year, NYAAC unveiled a new interactive dairy experience at The New York State Fair on Monday, August 19. This new Mobile Dairy Experience features state-of-the-art technology, captivating imagery, and immersive activities for all ages. Several videos are part of the experience, showcasing family farms of all sizes, manure application and methane digesters, interviews with employees and exploring robotic milking technology. Other sections of the trailer review the journey milk makes from cow to table and a deep dive on many dairy products.
The 53-foot, double-expandable trailer is “driven by New York dairy” and was made possible with support from family dairy farms and agriculture partners across the state, including funding provided through the New York Dairy Promotion Order Advisory Board. The trailer would make a great addition at local fairs, open farm days and other venues where consumer education is the focus. Check out the NYAAC website for more information: Mobile Dairy Experience | New York Animal Agriculture Coalition (nyanimalag.org)
If you are in Syracuse anytime now through Labor Day (Sept 2), come say hello to several of our board members who volunteer at the Birthing Center! A visit and volunteering are very positive experiences as we advocate to the thousands of consumers who attend!
The new Mobile Dairy Experience trailer features sections focused on farming basics, environmental sustainability, technology, making dairy products and future famers. Photo from NYAAC website Mobile Dairy Experience | New York Animal Agriculture Coalition (nyanimalag.org)