US Dairy Checkoff enters collaboration with Mayo Clinic
The initiative will focus on dairy research and communication
28 February 2022
2 minute read
According to a press release from US Dairy, the US Dairy Checkoff has entered a five-year collaboration with Mayo Clinic to explore research and consumer outreach efforts to improve public health and advance dairy’s benefits.
The checkoff’s memorandum of understanding with Mayo entails Dairy Management Inc. (DMI), National Dairy Council (NDC) and the Innovation Center for US Dairy (IC).
“This is a milestone moment for dairy farmers who made this possible through their century-long commitment to research and dairy nutrition,” said DMI CEO Barbara O’Brien. “This doesn’t happen without the strong national reputation farmers have built through National Dairy Council.
“This is a powerful collaboration that shows how the dairy checkoff is expanding our scientific network to bring a modernized complement to our legacy and move us further into the future,” she continued.
The collaboration will be incorporated across Mayo Clinic’s campuses in Rochester, Minn., Scottsdale and Phoenix, Ariz., and Jacksonville, Fla.
Teams comprised of NDC scientists and registered dietitians, Mayo Clinic physicians and health professionals as well as Innovation Center for US Dairy experts will lead initiatives focused on three areas:
- Research to discover how dairy foods, particularly whole milk dairy, impacts cardiovascular health and metabolic conditions. Other potential research areas include dairy’s role on calm, sleep, digestive health and immunity.
- Communicating dairy’s strong body of evidence, new research and insights with the scientific community, health and wellness professionals and consumers.
- Exploring dairy’s role through digital platforms to propel people into a new way of precisely managing their wellness.
In addition, co-created content will help debunk dairy myths and help consumers maintain confidence in dairy foods, farms and businesses.
“This collaboration illustrates the checkoff’s consumer-first focus and our commitment to leading with credible science,” said Marilyn Hershey, a Pennsylvania dairy farmer and chair of DMI.
