National Dairy Day is just around the corner and Texas Tech’s Davis College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources is set to celebrate the state’s growing and economically critical dairy industry with a special recognition and welcoming students back program on Friday (Jan. 17) at the university’s Dairy Barn.
“We are so excited to welcome back students for the Spring 2025 semester,” said Maeley Stroupe, Assistant Director for Student Success within Davis college’s Dr. Bill Bennett Student Success Center. “What better way to celebrate the new term and students’ return than with milk and cookies? We are looking forward to this event and wish all students, faculty, and staff a successful semester.”
Among the scheduled activities will be Dairy Max’s Oculus headsets for a virtual farm experience, along with milk donated by Gustine-based Volleman’s Family Farm. The treats, which include cookies, will be available at no charge from 10-11:30 a.m. or while supplies last. Students from Davis College’s Ag Ambassadors and the Dairy Science Club will be assisting in the program.
National Dairy Day is part of a rolling commemoration of the first U.S. milk delivery to homes in sterilized glass bottles, according to a USDA National Institute of Food & Agriculture press announcement. This marked a turning point, elevating the accessibility of milk, an important source of nutrition, reports the Dairy Council of California website, adding that milk deliveries to homes made it safer and easier for families to drink milk, which provides many health benefits.
“The dairy industry is a growing and critical industry for the region and state,” said Darren Hudson, Davis College's Associate Dean for Strategic Initiatives & Assessment, and the Larry Combest Endowed Chair for Agricultural Competitiveness. “With several billion dollars in sales annually and a significant provider of jobs, understanding the role of the dairy as an economic driver for the region and state as well as a provider of human health is critical.”
Today, Texas ranks fourth nationally in dairy production and in its number of dairy cows, and the industry is growing rapidly, according to the Statista website. According to a Texas AgriLife website, most Texas dairy cows are in the Panhandle and account for more than 75% of the state’s milk production. The No. 1 producing county is Hartley, accounting for approximately 19% of Texas’s milk production. By comparison, regions like Central and East Texas account for 15% and 3%, respectively.
CONTACT: Clint Krehbiel, Dean, Davis College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources, Texas Tech University at (806) 742-2808 or Clint.Krehbiel@ttu.edu
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