Farmers are using the whole of February to celebrate all things dairy and the work that goes behind the humble glass of milk.
The social media campaign Februdairy – which is running throughout February to celebrate the dairy industry – has got off to a flying start.
Milk producers and supporters are promoting all things dairy across social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Farmers are encouraged to share tweets using the hashtag to help promote the dairy industry to a wider audience.
The brainchild behind the initiative, livestock sustainability consultant Dr Jude Capper, said she’s proud to work with “many wonderful people” who care for their cows and produce milk and dairy products.
Dr Capper, who was awarded Dairy Industry Woman of the Year 2017, said on social media: “Let’s make #Februdairy happen this year. 28 days, 28 positive dairy posts.
It follows a month-long Veganuary campaign during which vegan activists urged people to stop consuming animal products and adopt a plant-based diet instead.
Farmers insist plant-based dairy products shouldn’t be referred to as milk.
The Februdairy initiative first gained momentum following a tweet from independent livestock sustainability consultant Jude Capperin 2017.
She is backing the campaign again this year.
Other farmers are showing innovative ways of getting the best from milk.
Another user, Hailey explained: “As a dairy farmer, I have no problem with people who chose a vegan lifestyle. What I do have problems with is those who try to slander the dairy industry when they know nothing about livestock or farming.”
Some producers are tweeting cows walking through fields.
They are keen to show the industry at its best.
Last month dairy farmer and marketing consultant Andy Venables called for an overhaul in the way milk is promoted – describing it as “a complete mess”.
“It frustrates the hell out of me that milk is so poorly marketed,” said Mr Venables, who milks 300 cows on his family farm and runs Hillsgreen Marketing in Cheshire.
“It is seen as a loss leader and the lowest of the low.”
The dairy industry could learn a lot from the vegan movement, which had attracted huge media coverage despite accounting for just 1.16% of the UK population, said Mr Venables.
