October serves as Farm to School Month for the St. Louis Dairy Council as they push for more acknowledgment and education to the farming and agriculture communities that provide food and dairy products. Kelsey Bentlage, a registered dietitian and Nutrition Educator for the St. Louis Dairy Council says that research has shown only 2% of the US. Population is connected to a farm in any way, making the “farm to table” idea more difficult to understand for many.
That's why the St. Louis Dairy Council is making it their mission in the month of October to spread the word about dairy farmers and agriculture in general to the youngsters in the classroom. Bentlage says starting education early will give students a perspective on what it takes for that product to get to the dinner table.
Bentlage calls dairy products “the original local food” because the milk being consumed by students has gone from cow to carton in only 48 hours. The St. Louis Dairy Council has started the “Moo to you” program that allows students to visit their website at www.stldairycouncil.org to find their nearest dairy farm.
To bring the full experience of farming to schools, the Mobile Dairy Classroom will hit the road, bringing a live cow in front of the eyes of students to show them the actual process of preparing dairy products.
For information on Farm to School Month or the St. Louis Dairy Council’s programs and recipes, visit their website at www.stldairycouncil.org, or look to their social media pages on Facebook and Instagram.
Kelsey Bentlage appeared as a guest on the WTIM Morning show.
