Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today proclaimed June 2009 as “Real California Milk Month” in California. The proclamation honors the efforts of California‘s 1,950 dairy farmers and the California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB) to keep the state’s dairy industry healthy and strong.
The proclamation coincides with the CMAB’s 40th anniversary celebration and National Dairy Month.
California is the leading U.S. milk producer, accounting for one-fifth of the nation’s supply.
“The dairy industry plays a significant role in strengthening California‘s economy,” Schwarzenegger’s proclamation says.
The governor encourages Californians to buy local milk and dairy products to support the dairy families that work hard to make economic contributions to the state.
“The official proclamation of June as Real California Milk Month in California is a special celebration for the dairy industry and California consumers because 2009 also marks our 40th anniversary,” said Stan Andre, CMAB’s chief executive officer.
“The CMAB was formed in 1969 as a vehicle to promote California dairy products to consumers,” Andre adds. “While these economic times are extremely trying for our dairy farmers, we’re pleased that the dairy industry has seen steady growth over the last 40 years, creating thousands of jobs and generating billions of dollars in sales, and helping California become the nation’s leading dairy producer.”
The CMAB (http://www.realcaliforniamilk.com/) introduced the Real California Milk seal in 2007 in response to research indicating that seven out of 10 Californians prefer to purchase locally-produced milk for their families. In fact, two-thirds stated they would go to a different store to find locally-produced milk. The seal helps consumers identify milk that comes from California dairy farms as well as other dairy products, including butter, ice cream and yogurt, which are produced exclusively with California milk.
As the leading agricultural commodity in California, the dairy industry generated $61.4 billion in economic impact in 2007. In addition to being the nation’s largest milk producer, California also produces more butter, ice cream, yogurt and nonfat dry milk than any other state.
