The nationwide Adopt-A-Cow program allows kids to learn first-hand the time, care, and attention that goes into dairy farming and caring for calves. The program, now in its fifth year, connects local dairy farmers with K-12 classrooms, allowing them to “adopt” one of the calves on the farmer’s dairy farm.
According to Eir Garcia Silva, Vice President, Dairy Experience – Youth, the Adopt-A-Cow program has many benefits of connecting dairy farmers with students by showcasing life on a dairy farm. During the 2021-2022 school year, seven dairy farmers from the Midwest Dairy region connected with more than 3,500 classrooms and 74,000 students.
“I think it’s a great way to really have an engaging relationship with these educators and the students,” Garcia Silva says. “The benefits of this program are plentiful. Having a relationship with a farmer is huge. The classrooms instantly fall in love with the calf and really gets to know that farm family throughout the year, as they share how they are caring for the animals and the environment.”
Minnesota Dairy Farmer Connects with Students in More Ways Than One
Paige Roberts, who works at Jer-Lindy Farms in Brooten, Minn., understands all too well the disconnect many of these students have from agriculture.
“I didn’t grow up on a dairy farm either,” she says. “So, I take it to heart and enjoy telling the story of agriculture.”
Roberts became involved with the program in the 21-22 school year and after such a positive experience she plans to participate again for the upcoming 22-23 school year.
“I like getting to make a connection with the students,” Roberts says. “I hope the next time they see a gallon of milk; that they see the whole story behind it.”
Roberts said she tried not to overwhelm the students with information and shared that overall she was impressed with the student’s intuitiveness and general interest in animal care.
“They wanted to know more about how the cows and calves were cared for during a snowstorm or thunderstorm,” she says. “Plus, they were really interested in what they eat.”
One student asked if cows get dessert and Paige said it was an opportunity to talk about different feed ingredients for cattle, including how some farmers feed the leftovers of candy to cows.
“I tried to keep it all fairly basic, but the follow-up questions were a good opportunity to go a little more in-depth because they seemed to be learning,” Roberts shared.
Throughout the school year, Roberts shared updates about three calves – Alexa, Alljoy and Caroline – with 415 classes and more than 11,000 students in Minnesota.
Nebraska Dairy Farmer Shares Her Love of Calves with Students
Nebraska dairy farmer, Jodi Cast, has been allowing classrooms to adopt calves from her dairy farm, JJC Jerseys, in Beaver Crossing for the past two years. The information Cast shares about her calves includes their name, birthday, height, weight, what they eat, their housing and all other basics of caring for a young dairy animal.
“These kids form an attachment to their calves,” Cast said. “They just really want to know their calf is being taken care of and that you love that calf as much as they do.”
The calves are born in a week in September. “Last year I had four calves and the first year, I had one,” Jodi shares.
Cast believes the Adopt-A-Calf program is a great way to get kids on a farm.
“Even if it’s virtually,” she shares. “It is a great way to introduce kids to where their food comes from,” she says.
Cast, who farms with her husband, Jason, and milks 230 cows, was able to connect with 269 classrooms and more than 6,200 students in Nebraska, South Dakota and North Dakota.
“I’m reaching a lot of kids and students I wouldn’t normally reach,” she says. “It’s a lot of fun to make that connection and show kids what’s involved in getting that product to your table.”
Take-Home Messages
The Adopt-A-Cow program opens up a whole new world to most of these students. Cast says she hopes that they walk away with the understanding that the milk they drink comes from a good place.
“I think that’s probably the most important message for them to remember,” she says.
Roberts says she hopes the kids go home and tell their parents, ‘We saw this calf and it was raised well.’
Garcia Silva says she hopes the first message that resonates with the students and educators is how much dairy farmers care for their animals.
“One area of concern, especially for Gen Z, that we’ve seen with research, is focused on animal care,” she says. “It is beneficial that we help these students at an early age understand how much our dairy farmers care for their animals.”
Midwest Dairy also understands that consumers want to hear the message of sustainability and the role dairy farmers play in caring for their land and the environment and the steps they are doing to help reduce their carbon footprint.
Any educator can enroll in the program at no cost. There is no cookie-cutter formula, educators can curtail the program to fit their needs.
“We recognize that each school district has different curriculum standards and requirements. So, the way the program works, it allows the educators to take and choose the pieces that work best for them. And that can fit in with their requirement and their standards.”
The enrollment for the 22-23 school year is still open. Schools can sign up at www.discoverdairy.com/adopt-a-cow
