Greek yogurt maker Chobani has released a limited-edition flavor, Milk & Cookies, to help support American dairy farmers.
Milk & Cookies, a vanilla yogurt with chocolate pieces, is the second flavor in Chobani’s Farmer Batch series. The flavors are made in partnership with American Farmland Trust (AFT), a non-profit organization dedicated to helping farmers stay on their land.
According to the company’s website, 10 cents of every four-pack sold will go toward resources and microgrants to aid dairy farmers across the nation.
“At Chobani, we always try to use food as a force for good,” Peter McGuinness, Chobani’s president, said. “We believe the most important thing we can do is make a difference. And we want to continue our mission-led innovation to help make a meaningful difference in dairy for the communities we operate in, the farms we source from and the fans for whom we make our food.”
The microgrants of up to $10,000, administered by AFT, can be used to help improve operations, transfer and generational succession planning and land conservation or climate improvement practices.
The move comes at a time when American dairy farmers are struggling. Over the past 10 years, there has been a 33 percent decrease in the number of dairy operations in the U.S., or an estimated 17,000 farms lost.
“Dairy farms are critical parts of the economy and landscape in communities across America, but dairy farm families are facing tremendous change due to a weak dairy economy, disruptions from severe weather and an aging farming population,” David Haight, AFT vice president of Programs, said. “We are proud to stand beside Chobani in helping dairy farmers plan for the future as they face these daunting challenges.”
Ninety percent of U.S. dairy farms are family-owned. In Texas, there are about 400 dairy farms and 43 milk processing plants that create an economic impact of more than $3.5 billion.