California Celebrates 30 Days of Dairy

June is National Dairy Month – a celebration of the diversity of dairy foods and the farmers who produce the bounty. In California, June is "Real California Milk Month" as recently proclaimed by Governor Jerry Brown in appreciation of the more than 1600 dairy families who make California the number one milk-producing state and dairy the state's number one agricultural commodity. "We celebrate dairy every day at the California Milk Advisory Board, but especially in June when we have an opportunity to recognize the hard work and dedication of California's dairy families who make such an important contribution to our state's economy," said Stan Andre , CEO of the CMAB. The governor's proclamation recognizes the contributions of California's dairy families and kicks off a month of activities from the CMAB to spotlight California dairy. The proclamation states "the landscape, economy, health, and nutrition of California would not be the same without our dairy farms." The 30 Days of California Dairy celebration gets underway with a calendar of tips for incorporating dairy daily. From whipping up a California ice cream treat on Sundae Fun-day to honoring all things cheesy on June 4th as National Cheese Day, each 140-character tip is made for sharing. Popular food bloggers Sommer Collier (A Spicy Perspective), Robyn Stone (Add A Pinch), Ali Ebright (Gimme Some Oven) and Marla Meredith (Family Fresh Cooking) will be creating their own dairy month celebration boards on Pinterest.  Each blogger will be creating a "So Very CA Dairy" board featuring their "dairy best" recipes. Consumers are also invited to share in the dairy fun by creating their own "So Very CA Dairy" Pinterest boards. For a chance to win prizes, including a $500 Williams-Sonomagift card, pinners need to follow these easy steps:

Ninety-nine percent of California dairy farms are family-owned. California produces more fluid milk, butter, ice cream, and nonfat dry milk than any other state. The state is the second-largest producer of cheese, which is available nationally under the Real California Cheese seal. Dairy products made with California milk can be identified by the Real California Milk seal, which certifies that the products are made exclusively with milk produced on California dairy farms.