Milk for Health on the Niagara Frontier has had the same mission for more than 80 years.
Incorporated in 1941, Milk for Health is one of the oldest dairy promotion organizations in the United States. Its goal since day one has been to support dairy farmers of Western New York, promote dairy products and educate the public about the goodness of milk.
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“We’ve earned people’s trust over the years because we’ve been an established part of the community for so long,” MFH Executive Director Bethany Hobin says. “We’re trusted by dairy farmers to continue putting out their bright message, and the community trusts us as well to give them the facts.”
Hobin grew up in and around dairy farms in Wyoming County. Since taking over as executive director in 2018, she has continued to promote the message that milk is good for consumers as well as the planet.
“Dairy is in my heart,” Hobin says. “I grew up with it in my heart, and I have a passion to protect my friends and family and their livelihoods. It comes with the understanding of how ingrained that lifestyle is when you’re a dairy farmer.”
The dairy industry is the largest single sector of New York’s agricultural industry. With about 3,400 dairy farms that produce 15 billion pounds of milk annually, the state is the fifth largest producer of dairy in the nation.
In New York, 98% of milk products come from local farmers. Milk for Health works with family-owned co-ops and milk producers of all shapes and sizes in Erie, Niagara, Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, Wyoming and Allegany counties and part of Genesee County.
Decades of research confirms that dairy plays an essential role in a healthy lifestyle. Just three daily servings of dairy products – which often go from farm to table in less than 48 hours – contribute to healthy eating styles and well-being.
“When you have dairy products, it's the most natural source of nutrition you can possibly get,” Hobin says. “With my kids, I teach them just like I’d teach anyone else about the importance of milk and how to incorporate it into your diet in so many different ways.”
Milk is also vital for a healthy immune system. It has a unique nutrient package and contains 13 essential nutrients, which is everything you need for heart health, strong bones, diabetes prevention, weight management, sports recovery and more.
Those three servings of low-fat or fat-free dairy foods, when combined with adequate physical activity, help children ages 9 years and older achieve peak bone mass, helping reduce the risk of osteoporosis later in life.
Milk – both white and chocolate – is also a powerful nutrient package that has several benefits to sports recovery. Drinking after exercise helps the body refuel, recover and rehydrate.
Here is a closer look at why each essential nutrient is important for growth and development:
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Calcium: helps build and maintain strong bones and teeth
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Iodine: crucial for bone and brain development in pregnancy and infancy
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Niacin: used in energy metabolism in the body
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Pantothenic Acid: helps the body use carbohydrates, fats and protein for fuel
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Phosphorus: supports strong bones and teeth; helps tissue growth
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Potassium: supports healthy heart, blood pressure, body fluid balance and muscle function
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Protein: helps build and repair tissue; supports immunity
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Riboflavin: helps the body use carbohydrates, fats and protein for fuel
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Selenium: supports healthy immune system and metabolism; helps protect healthy cells from damage
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Vitamin A: supports healthy skin, eyes and immune system; promotes growth
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Vitamin B12: supports normal blood function and nervous system
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Vitamin D: supports strong bones, teeth and immune system
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Zinc: supports immune system, development and skin
“If you look at the ingredients in milk and then compare it to any other sports beverage, milk is the most pure recovery drink that you can have,” Hobin says. “Milk is 98% water. The rest is protein and vitamins that benefit all the systems in your body, but especially muscles and bones. You can’t get that anywhere else.”
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