AMERICAN DAIRY FARMING

WHAT IS DAIRY MANAGEMENT INC.™?

Dairy Management Inc.™ (DMI) is the domestic and international planning and management organization that builds demand for dairy products on behalf of America’s 56,000 dairy producers. DMI and international, state and regional organizations manage the American Dairy Association®, the National Dairy Council® and the U.S. Dairy Export Council®.

DMI works with state and regional dairy promotion organizations to ensure the future success of dairy by integrating marketing, promotion, advertising, public relations, nutrition education, and nutrition, product and technology research programs. To find the state and regional organization in your area, click here.

HISTORY

National Dairy Promotion and Research Board (NDB) and the United Dairy Industry Association (UDIA) dairy producer board members formed DMI in 1995 to do one thing: work together to increase demand for U.S.-produced dairy products.

Through staff consolidation, overhead reduction and more efficient advertising buying strategies, the formation of DMI has saved more than $30 million since 1995. These savings, in turn, helped increase available funds for dairy marketing programs. Click here for a brief history of dairy promotion. HISTORY OF DAIRY PROMOTION

PRE-1970

Local and state dairy promotion organizations conduct local dairy promotion, much of it through voluntary contributions by dairy producers.

1970

United Dairy Industry Association (UDIA) is formed by the merger of National Dairy Council® (NDC) and American Dairy Association® (ADA), resulting in more dollars from member state and regional organizations helping to support national programs.

1983

With the help of a dairy producer referendum calling for national dairy promotion, Congress enacts The Dairy and Tobacco Adjustment Act (“The Act”), which creates the National Dairy Promotion and Research Board (NDB). A subsequent U.S. Department of Agriculture Order (“The Order”) outlines the provisions for operating the national dairy producer checkoff program.

1984

The Secretary of Agriculture appoints the first NDB board; demand-building programs begin.

1993

In a referendum called by the Secretary of Agriculture, dairy producers vote 71 percent in favor of retaining the dairy checkoff program.

1994

Dairy producer leaders develop a plan to create an organization to coordinate national and local dairy promotion programs.

1995

Dairy producer board members of NDB and UDIA 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; direct coordination between national and local dairy promotion programs begins.

DMI forms the U.S. Dairy Export Council® (USDEC) to leverage investments of dairy processors, exporters, dairy producers, and industry suppliers to enhance the U.S. dairy industry’s ability to serve international markets. Both dairy checkoff dollars and USDEC membership dues fund the organization.

1998

DMI and the Milk Processor Education Program (MilkPEP) launch a single, nationally coordinated fluid milk marketing program; both organizations continue to maintain separate fluid milk marketing budgets and accounting systems, as well as their own internal controls, processes and accountabilities.

2005

Following a landmark decision by the U.S. Supreme Court that confirmed the constitutionality of commodity checkoff programs as “government speech,” the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 3rd Circuit in Philadelphia affirms the constitutionality of the dairy producer-funded checkoff program, reversing an earlier decision.