Northeast Dairy Association partner for education!

Friendship & Learning Go Hand in Hand!

Mr. Bruce Krupke, Executive VP of the Northeast Dairy Association with Cookshop students at the Frazer Elementary School in Syracuse.

The New York Farm Bureau Foundation for Agricultural Education, Inc. was initiated by those within the agricultural community to fill the need for a raised level of knowledge and understanding by all who interact with agriculture through the food, fiber and community. Working with many partners, sponsors and interested volunteers, we have been engaged in a number of successful programs throughout the state.

One partner, the Food Bank of Central New York, engages students in "Cookshop", which is a school based nutrition program integrating nutrition and food education into the larger curriculum, and providing elementary school aged children with hands on cooking experiences. This program casts a positive influence on the food choices for our community's children. Working with Jessica Garay, the nutrition educator who facilitates the Cookshop program, the Foundation volunteers have enlarged the children's scope by connecting farmers with the food and nutrition they study. We include many of the commodities in New York's long list of diversified ag products.

The Northeast Dairy Association (NDA), a Foundation supporter, is a new trade association whose membership is made up of suppliers, vendors, companies and organizations servicing the dairy processing, manufacturing and distribution industries in the Northeast U.S.

The Foundation "Friends" Campaign for raising programming dollars included a specially designed shirt for 2006. This year's "Friend" logo was a Holstein cow, which fit perfectly with the Northeast Dairy Association's focus on dairy. As the NDA is a "Friend" of the Foundation, they wanted to recognize some of the students involved in the Cookshop Program. A perfect blending of purpose, that brought together the 65+ students at the Frazer Elementary School in Syracuse who participate in the Cookshop program, NDA and the Foundation. Mr. Bruce Krupke, Executive Vice President of NDA, was on hand to present each of the students with the Foundation "Friend" tee shirt. Mr. Krupke, together with NYFB Foundation Managing Director, Sandra Prokop, shared some facts and information about the dairy industry with the students, including an assignment to find the REAL seal on the dairy products that their families purchase.