Southwest Dairy Mobile Classroom
By: Teagan Charmasson, Shattuck FFA Reporter
Milk. An essential part of all diets. From cream to yogurt, cheese to ice cream, dairy products are not only delicious, but an important commodity in Oklahoma agriculture. Although the number of dairy farms in Oklahoma has drastically decreased; from approximately 1700 in 2002, to 150 by 2018, Oklahoma cash milk sales still top around $138 million dollars annually.
Hopefully, most students at Shattuck Schools know that chocolate milk doesn’t come from a brown cow, but not many have ever actually seen the milking process or know much about how dairy products make it to our local Venture store. Sadly, most consumers today, especially youth, are completely disconnected from where their food comes from. We may be a rural community, but because of the reduction in dairy farms, most kids have not been exposed to any part of a dairy operation. Last year Susanne Reece with Southwest Mobile Dairy Classroom came and presented to Shattuck Elementary, and the kids loved it. This year, Suzie and her Jersey cow Snickers came back to Shattuck to educate our older students.
The Southwest and Southland Dairy Farmers is an alliance of dairy farmers from Texas, New Mexico, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, Virginia, Kentucky and North Carolina. Since 1982, these producers have pooled their resources to promote education in nutrition, dairy product use, and to provide general dairy product information. Although this mobile “classroom,” isn't the only educational service this alliance funds, it’s definitely the most popular! With a state of the art stock trailer that converts into a mobile milking parlor, the instructor can lead an oral presentation and live milking demonstration using a live cow.
The Oklahoma educator, Suzie Reece, is a former elementary school teacher, and enthusiastically tells all of her dairy classroom students that she is working her “dream job.” She grew up on a dairy farm, and showed dairy cattle throughout her 4-H and FFA career, and now her two sons do the same. In her 40 min presentations, Ms. Reece covers various aspects of the dairy industry such as how the milking process works, but also teaches dairy cow anatomy, farm practices, and the importance of dairy products for good health. When speaking to Shattuck’s older students, she also discussed career pathways, and why it’s important to really explore various opportunities in agriculture.
Everyone in production agriculture knows that consumers drive the markets. This is why it is so important that we not only educate today’s consumers, but also our future consumers. This program not only educates, but also corrects misinformation that might exist regarding the dairy industry, which is becoming increasingly important.
The mobile dairy classroom is one that all kids and adults need to see. If you would like to schedule a presentation at your school, you can book Southwest Dairy Farmers Mobile Dairy Classroom at www.southwestdairyfarmers.com. You can also catch them on the road at the Oklahoma City and Tulsa State Fairs, as well as various shows and fairs across the country.
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