I’m excited to introduce you to fellow food animal veterinarian Dr. Michelle Schack, who, like every veterinarian I know, is deeply passionate about making sure animals are healthy and that we all have access to safe, nutritious food.
“I really enjoy the people in animal agriculture. They’re doing what’s best for the animals all the time and I love that,” said Dr. Schack, who is inspired by the broad implications of her role. “Food safety is very interesting to me, not only making sure animals are healthy but that our food is safe and secure. That’s fulfilling.”
She puts a lot of miles on her truck, serving many dairies in Arizona. She’s also active on the public speaking circuit and a founding partner at DairyKind, an organization that works with animal caretakers across the country to enhance animal welfare by providing resources and education.
She puts a lot of miles on social media, too. You’ll find Dr. Schack on TikTok and Instagram as the @DairyDoc, a moniker she uses to reach more than 400,000 followers with information not only about dairy farming, but dairy itself – both topics where many myths abound.
Dr. Schack hopes to cut through the clutter so consumers can make informed choices for themselves and their families. Let’s hear from this cow-loving educator and food safety advocate who spells out the top three things she wants us all to know.
1. Size Doesn’t Matter
Dairy farms in the U.S. can range from fewer than 20 cows to more than 20,000 cows. But regardless of size, farmers care for their animals. First, it’s the right thing to do. Second, healthy cows produce safe, nutritious milk.
In fact, 99% of the milk in the dairy products you purchase comes from farms that are part of the National Dairy FARM (Farmers Assuring Responsible Management) Program, a certification program that demonstrates U.S. dairy farmers are committed to producing high quality, safe milk with integrity.
2. There’s Not One Right Way to Dairy Farm
Dairy farming looks different in different regions of the country. There’s not a one-size-fits-all way to farm. As a colleague once told me “Once you’ve seen one dairy farm, you’ve seen one dairy farm.”
Dairy farms are as unique as the farmers who own them. There are many variables that make a dairy look different: weather conditions, terrain, feed ingredients, housing and generational influences. Grandpa and Grandma did great things on the farm and next generations will continue to evolve using best practices and new technologies to improve animal care and health as well as efficiency, which helps lower our carbon footprint.
3. Dairy is Nutritious and Safe
From milk and cheese to yogurt and sour cream, dairy is delicious – and it’s nutritious.
Milk contains 13 essential nutrients in every serving, including protein, zinc, selenium and vitamins A and D.
Milk has many checks and balances to ensure safety. Sampling starts at the farm before milk enters the tanker truck, which will haul the milk to the processing plant. Before it’s unloaded from the truck at the processing facility, the milk is sampled again. If at any time, contamination or abnormalities are found, the milk is discarded, keeping it from going into the food supply.
The Grade A Pasteurized Milk Ordinance (PMO), established in 1924, helps ensure that Grade “A” milk and dairy products produced in the U.S. are safe.
Whether it’s on the farm, online or via one-on-one conversations and public speaking, Dr. Schack’s deep-seated passion for animals, food safety and education drives her work. By dispelling misconceptions and demystifying dairy practices, she’s not only bridging the gap between farm and table but empowering consumers to make informed choices about dairy products that so many of us enjoy every day.
Interested in learning more? Follow Dr. Schack on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube.
And as always, I’m happy to connect and answer your questions. Reach out at @AskDrDorman or AskDrDorman@pahc.com.