August 14, 2023
The dairy checkoff recently marked its 13th year of “Fuel Up to Play 60,” a school wellness program in partnership with the NFL.
But the work continues to support dairy’s role in youth wellness and improve education about the contributions of America’s dairy farmers.
That’s why beginning this school year, the checkoff will shift to the Fuel Up platform, with a goal to bring new and diverse partners together to expand opportunities to increase access to dairy with other nutritious foods, and engage youth with healthy eating and food production.
With this change, Dairy Management Inc. is transitioning from a partnership with the NFL to a no-cost collaboration, which paves the way to co-create programs that support youth wellness. In addition, as students’ food choices and understanding of nutrition is increasingly impacted by factors outside the school building, Fuel Up will allow for a more integrated approach to engaging youth and their parents.
“This is our opportunity to reinforce dairy’s support for greater access to nutrition in cafeterias and classrooms but do it in new and more effective ways,” says Barbara O’Brien, CEO and president of DMI. “Fuel Up to Play 60 helped secure the reputation and legacy of dairy farmers for being champions of youth wellness, but the school environment has changed dramatically the last few years. We need to think differently to protect farmers’ ability to deliver long-term value to children and in schools.”
Value
Fuel Up will work with schools and partners to deliver solutions and resources that:
increase access to milk and other dairy products
expand meal participation
find ways to educate students on how nutrition plays an important role in physical wellness and academic achievement.
The checkoff is also introducing learning resources, including dairy-focused STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) curriculum.
O’Brien says dairy’s strong place in schools is driven through the state and regional network, which has had longtime relationships with educators, administrators, school food service leaders and others.