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| Formation | January 1995; 30 years ago (1995-01)[1] |
|---|---|
| Type | 501(c)(6) |
| 36-3992031[1] | |
| Location |
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| Revenue | $148,169,115 (2015) |
| Website | www |
Dairy Management Inc. is an Americantrade association funded primarily by the U.S.Dairy Promotion Program, itself funded by government-mandatedcheckoff fees ondairy products and federal tax dollars and dedicated to promoting the sale of American-made dairy products.
It also operates under the namesInnovation Center for U.S. Dairy,[2]National Dairy Council andAmerican Dairy Association,[3] as well as theU.S. Dairy Export Council.
The USDA regulates DMI's promotion of milk in the domestic market, but does not fund it directly.[4]
The forerunner of Dairy Management Inc. was theNational Dairy Council founded in 1915 by dairy farmers and processors when afoot-and-mouth disease outbreak threatened their image.[3]
In 1940, farmers had founded theAmerican Dairy Association (forerunner: the Dairymen’s Union of California, founded in 1891[5]) to promote U.S. milk products to consumers through advertising.They merged it with the National Dairy Council in 1970.[3]
In 1983, theNational Dairy Promotion and Research Board was created through Congress.[3]
In 1995, Dairy Management Inc. was incorporated as anonprofit corporation by members of the National Dairy Promotion and Research Board and the United Dairy Industry Association.[6] In 1995, DMI created theU.S. Dairy Export Council.[3]
DMI has been called a marketing creation of theU.S. Department of Agriculture[7] As of 2011, it was mainly funded byDairy Promotion Program government-mandated fees on dairy products; the U.S. Department of Agriculture regulates DMI's promotion of milk in the domestic market, and does not fund it directly,[4] but USDA funds the U.S. Dairy Export Council for overseas promotion. In 2010, the corporation had 162 employees and a budget of about $140 million, 5 of which came from the USDA.[4]
In 2021, Dairy Management Inc. was headed by CEO Barbara O'Brian after long time leader Tom Gallagher retired from the post.[citation needed]
Dairy Management is associated with the "Got Milk?"[8] and "Real Seal"[9] campaigns and works with industry to develop products that increase consumption of milk and cheese. It also funds research into the benefits of dairy consumption. Dairy Management has successfully promoted increased use of cheese in prepared food products such aspizza.
The DMI website offers educational materials[10] such as dietary guidelines,protein, maintaining a healthy weight,lactose intolerance, and the connection betweendairy andsports. They provide information kits tohealth care professionals.
DMI has funded academic research into the impacts of dairy, many of which show the positive impacts of dairy such asfood safety[11] and human health.[12] DMI has funded new product competitions, such as the10th Annual National Dairy Council (NDC) New Product Competition which in 2022 held the theme of "Innovative Dairy-Based Products for Gamers".[13]
Starting in 2009, it placed two dairy scientists atMcDonald's to incorporate more dairy into the menu.[14]
In 2022, DMI partnered withTaco Bell. They launched a frozen drink consisting of dairy withMountain Dew and created "a burrito with ten times the cheese of a typical taco".[14]
In 2023, DMI started a public relations campaign to promote butter.[14]
In 2010, the milk-promotion initiative was criticized byWalter Willett, chairman of thenutrition department at theHarvard School of Public Health and a former member of the federal government's nutrition advisory committee, as being contradictory to the nutrition goal of reducing consumption ofsaturated fat also promoted by theUnited States Department of Agriculture.[7]
In 2014,Michele Simon exposed in a report how dairy industry and UDDA promotedjunk food in the name of health.[15]
In 2024,Grist magazine reported that marketing efforts have been successful at increasing dairy consumption, primarily in the form of dairy products, such as cheese and butter. However, fluid milk consumption has been in decline since the 1970's. Animal products, including dairy products, have a highenvironmental footprint.[14]
1995 NDB and UDIA board members create Dairy Management Inc. (DMI) as the organization responsible for increasing demand for U.S.-produced dairy products on behalf of America's dairy producers.
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