Nashville, TN– Presley Lay has been named the 2023 National Dairy Month Chairman for Union County.

Lay will be honored June 8 at the Tennessee June Dairy Month Kickoff Event at Ellington Agricultural Center in Nashville. The event includes recognition from Brian Flowers, president of the American Dairy Association of Tennessee. The official kickoff celebration recognizes Tennessee 4-H members’ efforts to promote National Dairy Month in Tennessee.

Co-sponsored by The Dairy Alliance, the American Dairy Association of Tennessee, 4-H and the Tennessee Farm Bureau, National Dairy Month activities are designed to communicate the value of milk and other dairy products to Tennessee consumers. Chairpersons play a vital role in spreading dairy’s message in their communities.
“I love the farm life. I also love to cook. I would love to show people how to make butter and talk about eating more dairy foods,” Lay said. “I want to teach people about how healthy milk is for us.”

Presley, a fourth grader at Maynardville Elementary School, is the daughter of Cindy and Dusty Lay. She is part of BETA Club. Presley is an active member of her 4-H chapter, participating in several contests and coming in first for baking, speech, poster and photo contests.

“We wish Presley much success in her role of communicating the nutritional benefits of milk and dairy products to the people in Union County,” said American Dairy Association of Tennessee president Brian Flowers. “Presley will appreciate the cooperation of the people there. Her interest and enthusiasm will result in a better-informed community from which all will benefit.”

Originally deemed “National Milk Month” by American grocers in 1937, National Dairy Month began to promote dairy consumption during peak milk production in the summer. Today, June’s National Dairy Month continues celebrating with the Southeast’s communities and companies through festivals, contests and even a special night dedicated to dairy farmers at the ballpark.

In 2022, there were an estimated 27,000 Tennessee dairy cows living on 130 dairy farms producing 57.4 million gallons of milk. The top three milk producing Tennessee counties were: Loudon, Bradley and McMinn.

This year’s theme, “Around the Dairy in Seven Days,” encourages families to make milk their first beverage choice due to its unique package of vitamins, minerals and nutrients that are an essential part of a healthy diet. With local media and farm bureaus, dairy farmers will be working alongside The Dairy Alliance to engage consumers through social media, radio contests, T-shirt giveaways, events and more. For more information on how you can celebrate National Dairy Month, please visit us online at www.thedairyalliance.com/dairy-farming/june-dairy-month/.

About The Dairy Alliance
On behalf of dairy farm families, the non-profit The Dairy Alliance works with schools, health professionals, retailers, dairy processors and the public to promote dairy foods. For more information, visit www.thedairyalliance.com.

For more information, please contact Senior Manager of Agriculture Affairs Denise Jones via phone at (270) 970-4792 or by email at djones@thedairyalliance.com.