Keepin’ It Real

Today, I am flying halfway across the country to Indianapolis, Indiana!  Our state champion dairy cattle judging team is competing at the National FFA Convention. We left Petaluma at the ridiculous hour of 3:30 this morning on the airporter to the San Francisco International Airport. It was a three hour flight to our stop in Houston, Texas. From here, it will be another three hours to our final destination, Indiana.

Right now, after a long day of non-stop travel, all I can think of is a hot shower and to change into some new clothes. I am sure that any of you who have traveled know the feeling I am experiencing, and you know that it is anything but fresh.

This makes me think, if we feel so tired and just icky from traveling, what does it do to our food? Yes, being well traveled is usually a good characteristic in a person, but in food? Do we really want to eat something that has probably traveled farther than we have in the past week? How much quality will perishable food stuffs, like milk and dairy products, have after traveling in from out of state?

We can guess that it will probably not be the freshest...

You want the milk in your cereal, the yogurt you eat as a snack, the cheese in your sandwich, and the ice cream you have as a treat to have the best taste, the freshest taste. That is one of the benefits of buying dairy products marked with the Real California Milk Seal. You are guaranteed that the product you are buying was produced locally. It was produced right here in California by our Happy Cows and processed in a local plant. You are buying freshness.

But the benefits of buying local do not stop with just freshness. When you buy local you are saving the environment. Less transportation and less shipping mean less fuel emissions. Buying locally is one of the many ways you can become more sustainable and help create a greener future for California.

Buying Real California Dairy Products also means higher quality. Our dairy farmers and processors are held to the high standards. We take every measure to ensure that what you find in the stores is of the highest quality. We hope that you will be able to taste the difference.

Finally, buying local supports the local economy. Especially, in our current economic situation, it is important to support our communities, including our local dairy farmers. The tradition of dairying in California is a strong one. We are the number one dairy state in the nation! Help keep this legacy alive!

Keep it REAL California! Look for the Real California Milk Seal!

Best Wishes,

Mandy Brazil, District 3 First Alternate Dairy Princess