June Dairy Month interview with Anton Larson and Ada Reed Maine

June is dairy month. For the past 14 years the nation has paid tribute to its great dairy industry by setting aside the month of June as dairy month. Here in Oregon we are especially interested in June dairy month because dairying is one of Oregon's leading agricultural industries. Today we have two experienced dairy people with us. Oregon's 1950 June dairy month chairman and tone Larsen of the Sunshine Dairy in Portland and Mrs. Aida Reed main manager of the Oregon Dairy Council. Mr. Larsen has been in the dairy business for 21 years. Mrs. Maine is recognized throughout the state as an expert on foods and nutrition. You know Tony I've heard a lot about June dairy month but tell me why is the dairy month held in June as a dairyman you ought to be able to tell me that. Well Al in the first place June is a national time for dairy month. Milk production reaches its peak in June, cows are put out to pasture in the spring months and their milk is richer in vitamins and more abundant than at any other time

during the year. What's the reason for June dairy month? Dairy month was originated to help move the surplus of milk which is produced in May in June. The dairy industry found that ordinary advertising methods were not enough to help sell this surplus. So they enlisted the corporation in the United States Department of Agriculture. As a result the month of June was set aside to remind the public to use more dairy products during that naturally peak period. Well now Tony when did this all begin? In other words do you remember the first June dairy month? Yes, only it wasn't June dairy month then. At that time it was called National Milk Week and was held in November. Mrs. Maine will remember it. She has worked as a right-hand man with dairy month chairman. Every since the first one was appointed in 1937. You're doing very well so far Tony. It was called National Milk Week that first year in 1937. I remember the slogan very well keep you full with milk. Quite a change from this year's slogan. Enjoy delicious dairy foods your best

food by. Wait a minute folks I'm still back in 1937. Will someone tell me when dairy week became dairy month? Well the very next year that first dairy month was in 1938 was observed from June 9th to July 6th. Although it was a national affair we called it origin dairy products month here. It was Governor Martin who issued the first official origin dairy month proclamation in 1938. Every year since then the governor has issued official dairy month proclamation. Incidentally the dairy industry is the only industry which has a whole month set aside for special observance. Well I can see how dairy month would benefit the dairy industry but how does it benefit the consumer. In this way I'm making them more aware that milk and dairy products are a sound basis on which to build nourishing family dogs. Health authorities claim repeatedly that more milk and dairy products should be consumed. Drinking more milk, eating more dairy products will help raise

America's health standards. What do you mean aida by health standards for milk? I mean an everyday dietary standard. In other words the amount of milk each person should drink every day for good health. You know Aida every so often someone will ask me that question. I thought I knew the answer but hasn't the requirements changed recently. Yes it has Tony. You know of course that different age levels have different requirements for milk. The recent changes you refer to are for adolescent boys and for older people. But I thought everybody had the same requirements. Oh no. For example children and teenage boys and girls need more milk. They need more to provide greater amounts of calcium for their fast growing bones. Great school youngsters should drink at least a quart of milk a day. This would assure them of enough calcium for the quick spurt of growth during adolescence. I know milk is a good source of calcium aida but just how important is this calcium in our diets? Important enough that we couldn't live without it Tony. It is absolutely essential for the formation

of strong healthy teeth and bones. It is particularly important during the growing period. This great need for calcium is the main reason why the requirement for adolescent boys has been increased. Well how much milk should they drink? By between the ages of 12 and 18 should drink at least one and a half quart of milk a day. You and I know and mothers everywhere know the boys of this age will eat tremendous amounts of food and a quart of milk at one meal isn't too unusual. Sometimes it seems impossible to fill them up. You've mentioned the boys but how about the high school girls? The teenage girl needs as much milk as the boys do although their activities may not be quite as generous. Their bones are growing just as fast. When a girl knows that milk contributes chart a clear glowing complexion shining hair and a charming smile she won't hesitate to drink it. Well now Aida what about us grownups? Our bones have stopped growing does that mean we don't

need calcium anymore? Adults need a good supply every day but for different reasons. We need calcium for the coordination of muscles and for toning up the heart. In fact calcium becomes more important to us the older we get. Aida is that what you mean when you say the requirements have been changed for older people too? Yes one of the interesting research studies on women of this age group women of over 50 showed that they average drinking only one cup of milk each day. This of course is very low. It was found in this study that women women of over 50 needed at least one kind or two cups of milk each day. That is to maintain a minimum nutrition standard. That would mean a 100% increase in milk consumption for that age group. Did national dairy consul sponsor this particular study? Well I'd like to know now what these research studies have to do with standard setup for milk requirements. Yes Tony that study was conducted by the National Dairy Council. It is constantly sponsoring new research projects on milk and dairy products.

To answer your question now study studies like these farm the basis for the requirements setup of food nutrition bar to the National Research Council. Aida who finances these studies? The dairy industry through its support of organizations such as the National Dairy Council and the American Dairy Association. The dairy industry makes a large and important contribution to the health of the nation but support of nutrition research. Aida isn't there a study being carried on about the relationship of milk and the prevention of tooth decay? There is. This particular experiment is being conducted by a famous food scientist Dr. C.A. Elvium at the University of Wisconsin. This is another study being supported by the dairy industry and this one milk appears to be beneficial in protecting against the development of dental decay. Just think what this would mean. Great milk and prevent dental decay. Of course we can't say that this is true yet

for the study isn't completed but studies like this one are responsible for our knowledge of food and its relation to health. Well to get back to the health standards folks at which we were discussing a moment ago I like to know how much milk I should drink every day. You should be drinking three to four glasses of milk every day. Well surprisingly enough I do I'm a quite a milk drinker. Well this may sound like a lot but it really isn't. You know you find the same milk nutrients and cheese, cottage cheese and a nice cream. But eating a cheese sandwich or cottage cheese salad and perhaps having ice cream for dessert it doesn't take long to add up to the equivalent of four glasses of milk a day. We encourage our customers to use milk and butter in cookie. Well we do that in the dairy count for two soups, rabies, pudding, cream sauces and a multitude of other dishes can be made with milk and dairy products and as a result be more delicious and made with milk they help meet that daily court. Well tell me Mrs. Maine if everyone in the U.S.

drank the amount of milk they should have would present milk production meet the demand. No it wasn't. National production of milk would have to be increased nearly 50 percent which means of course that we are consuming only about one half of the amount of science advises. Eight of last year the total milk production for the nation was over 118 million pounds to meet this standard this amount would have to be doubled. Well why won't American consumers eat the amount of dairy products set up for them by dietary standards? Well many people let their taste dictate what they eat. Nationality is also a factor in influencing eating habits in difference too in too many cases. Well it seems to me an educational program of some sort is in order. Education yes and education on a long range basis. This is the very basis of our program you know authentic nutrition education. Of course Al you know that the dairy industry's education program was a first food industry education program to be organized. Mrs. Maine helped organize the

dairy console 19 years ago and she deserves most of the credit for our successful statewide program today. Thank you Tony. We are proud of our work in the dairy council and of the industry behind it. We've had many state leaders leaders in the professional education and consumer fields tell us that the dairy industry has contributed a real help service through its program of help the nutrition education. There are people who complain about the cost of milk and dairy products. Now if everyone ate the recommended amounts of foods that they should have wouldn't their food bills be pretty high. No more than they are now in fact as a family consume the recommended amount of dairy products including milk, butter, cheese and ice cream. The cost of the dairy products in relation to the total cost of the meal would amount to above 39 percent. Well now what does that mean in terms of food value? It means that the dairy products would contribute 40 percent of the protein in the meal, 83 percent of the calcium and over half

the vitamin A and riboslavin. In other words, milk contributes more food value for less money than did other foods in the real meal. Exactly right. One thing to remember is practically impossible to acquire the recommended amount of calcium without including milk and dairy products. This again takes us back to the daily quarter milk. Well are people really drinking more milk than they were say 25 or 50 years ago? Yes they are. There has been a gradual but continuous increase in milk consumption and a very decided increase in the consumption of manufactured dairy products such as ice cream, cheese and butter. Speaking of the past 25 years or so there has been a definite change in food habits of the American people. Well now I like to have you tell us about that change a little bit Mrs. Maine. Well we're eating more fruits and vegetables, more eggs, more dairy products and more fats and oils than our parents and grandparents did.

Are we eating less than anything? Yes, less bread and cereals and much less potatoes. Of course we must remember that we have about 60 percent more consumers of food than there were 40 years ago. You know I'm in the milk business myself and it's interesting to me that people have different ages, dairy products and different amounts and forms. Well Tony how do you mean a different amounts? Well for example children use large amounts of fluid milk less ice cream of course and relative little cheese. The high birth rate following World War II had a definite effect on the consumption of fluid milk. Yes more babies and young children meet an increase in the consumption of fluid milk and ice cream of course other factors such as income prices quality convenience as well as population trends influence milk consumption. Sounds produced something interesting about milk not long ago. It added up to separate food nutrients in milk and came

up with 66. Well I didn't know there were that many in the first place. 66 are they only sensualated? Yes all necessary naturally some more important than others. One of the most important from the long list is protein which reminds me. Did you people know that science is added a glass of milk to the traditionally famous American breakfast of fruit rolls and coffee? Milk for breakfast why? Well because of the high quality of milk proteins. In a recent research study it was found that the body used protein more efficiently when milk was included for breakfast. Therefore the glass of milk for breakfast and June Dairy Month gives us another opportunity to pass this information to the consumer. Well no doubt June Dairy Month means a great deal to Oregon's dairy producers too. They depend on the sale of milk for over one sixth of the total of cash farm income of the state. That's true Al and dairy products are the main source of income

on nearly 9000 Oregon farms. People in Oregon are drinking more milk too. A recent survey from Oregon State College shows that the use of fluid milk has increased from 30 to 50 percent of the total amount produced in Oregon. Well it sounds to me like the dairy industry here in Oregon is in pretty good shape but I know it's important to continue to promote such a vital food commodity. Well Mrs. Maine you and Mr. Larson have done a great deal today to help me realize the real meaning of June Dairy Month and the importance of dairy products in the diet. I'm sure our listeners have benefited as much as I have. You've been listening to a discussion on June Dairy Month by Anton Larson, Oregon's 1950 June Dairy Month chairman and Mrs. Ada Reed main manager of the Oregon Dairy Council. This is Al Bauer speaking. The foregoing was transcribed.