| Return Reference | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Form 990, Part III, Line 1 Organization's Mission | BOTH DOMESTICALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY. THE FORMATION OF DMI HAS CREATED EFFICIENCIES, GAINED THROUGH THE ELIMINATION OF REDUNDANCIES AND THE POWER OF JOINT PLANNING. |
| Form 990, Part III, Line 4a Advancing Sales & Innovation | THE PLAYBOOK SERVES AS A CRITICAL RESOURCE FOR TRANSLATING RESEARCH FINDINGS INTO ACTIONABLE CLAIMS, COMMERCIALIZATION AND MESSAGING STRATEGIES SHARED WITH THE DAIRY, FOOD AND BEVERAGE INDUSTRIES TO SPUR NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT AND OTHER INNOVATION. ANOTHER PATHWAY TO INCREASING SALES IS THROUGH FOODSERVICE PARTNERS. OVER HALF OF CONSUMERS' FOOD BUDGET IS SPENT ON MEALS OUTSIDE THEIR HOME. DOMESTIC FOODSERVICE PARTNERS LEVERAGED CHECKOFF INSIGHTS AND EXPERTISE TO LAUNCH 12 DAIRY-CENTRIC MENU ITEMS. PARTNERS INCLUDED FOODSERVICE AND RETAIL LEADERS SUCH AS DOMINOS, TACO BELL, MCDONALD'S, AND GENERAL MILLS. FURTHERMORE, TARGETED INVESTMENTS IN GENERAL MILLS HEALTH AND WELLNESS PRODUCTS ARE HELPING THE YOGURT CATEGORY DELIVER 8.9% VOLUME GROWTH YEAR OVER YEAR. INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS ALSO DROVE U.S. DAIRY SALES IN KEY MARKETS, INCLUDING SOUTHEAST ASIA. THE CHECKOFF WORKS WITH FOODSERVICE AND PROCESSING PARTNERS TO DEVELOP CULTURALLY RELEVANT MENU ITEMS AND SECURE RETAIL SHELF SPACE FOR U.S. DAIRY FOODS. NATIONAL AND LOCAL CHECKOFF TEAMS SUPPORTED THE RETURN OF DARIGOLD MILK TO THE PHILIPPINES WITH RETAIL EXPANSION EXPECTED IN EARLY 2026. WITH 96% OF THE WORLD'S CONSUMERS LIVING OUTSIDE THE U.S., THE CHECKOFF IS ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN KEY EXPORT MARKETS FOR DAIRY. THE U.S. DAIRY EXPORT COUNCIL, FUNDED IN LARGE PART THROUGH CHECKOFF DOLLARS, WORKS TO EXPAND EXISTING GLOBAL MARKETS AND IDENTIFY NEW OPPORTUNITIES WORLDWIDE. THESE INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS CONTRIBUTED TO A U.S. DAIRY EXPORT VALUE OF $8.3 BILLION IN 2024, THE SECOND HIGHEST ON RECORD, UNDERSCORING THE GROWING GLOBAL ACCEPTANCE OF U.S.-PRODUCED DAIRY. |
| Form 990, Part III, Line 4b Trust & Reputation | BY INSPIRING THOUGHT LEADERS AND ENHANCING THE INDUSTRY'S REPUTATION, THIS CAMPAIGN HELPED RESHAPE PERCEPTIONS OF DAIRY AND ITS COMMITMENT TO NUTRITION AND SUSTAINABILITY. BUILDING TRUST ALSO MEANS PROTECTING DAIRY'S REPUTATION DURING CHALLENGING TIMES. THE DAIRY CHECKOFF PLAYED A KEY LEADERSHIP ROLE IN STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS, AND DEVELOPED AND IMPLEMENTED AN INDUSTRY-WIDE COMMUNICATIONS PLAN ADDRESSING H5N1. DMI ALSO CONDUCTED CONSUMER SENTIMENT ANALYSIS AND REVIEWED SALES DATA THAT SHOWED THIS UNIFIED RESPONSE ULTIMATELY MAINTAINED CONSUMER TRUST, AS EVIDENCED BY NO DISCERNIBLE EFFECT ON RETAIL SALES. SHARING DAIRY'S IMPORTANT ROLE IN HEALTH AND WELLNESS HAS PLAYED OUT THROUGH THE CHECKOFF'S WORK IN SHARING NUTRITION RESEARCH FINDINGS WITH THOUGHT LEADERS AND OTHERS WHO ADVANCE NUTRITION GUIDANCE AND PUBLIC HEALTH. NATIONAL DAIRY COUNCIL SUBMITTED 13 SETS OF PUBLIC COMMENTS TO THE DIETARY GUIDELINES FOR AMERICANS COMMITTEE WITH INFORMATION FROM DAIRY NUTRITION RESEARCH AND THIRD-PARTY EXPERTS. HEALTH AND WELLNESS WORK IS FURTHERED THROUGH THE COLLABORATION WITH MAYO CLINIC. IN ADDITION TO EXPLORING DAIRY'S ROLE IN CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH, THIS COLLABORATION HAS HELPED SHARE THE IMPORTANCE OF DAIRY IN THE FIRST 1,000 DAYS OF LIFE. THIS INFORMATION HAS BEEN SHARED THROUGH PODCAST EPISODES, WEBINARS AND IN-PERSON EVENTS AT LARGE CONSUMER EVENTS SUCH AS THE MINNESOTA STATE FAIR. OVERALL, THESE EFFORTS COLLECTIVELY CONTRIBUTED TO BUILDING TRUST AND DRIVING SALES, REINFORCING THE DAIRY INDUSTRY'S POSITIVE IMPACT ON HEALTH, THE ENVIRONMENT, AND CULTURAL RELEVANCE. |
| Form 990, Part III, Line 4c Global Positioning of Dairy | GREENER CATTLE INITIATIVE, A RESEARCH COLLABORATION WITH PARTNERS ACROSS THE VALUE CHAIN, ANNOUNCED A SECOND ROUND OF FUNDING OF $5 MILLION FOR RESEARCH FOCUSED ON REDUCING ENTERIC METHANE. COLLECTIVELY, THIS PROGRAM HAS MADE $10 MILLION AVAILABLE FOR RESEARCH, REPRESENTING A 10:1 RETURN ON CHECKOFF INVESTMENT. THE CHECKOFF ALSO CONDUCTS RESEARCH AND OUTREACH WITH HEALTH PROFESSIONALS AND OTHER THOUGHT LEADERS TO REINFORCE AND BUILD DAIRY'S ROLE IN NUTRITION, GLOBAL POSITIONING OF DAIRY HEALTH AND WELLNESS. TARGETED OUTREACH WITH LEADING ORGANIZATIONS LED TO DAIRY-SPECIFIC ENDORSEMENTS, INCLUDING A NATIONAL MEDICAL ASSOCIATION JOURNAL ENDORSING DAIRY'S ROLE ACROSS A LIFESPAN FOR BLACK AMERICANS AND AN AMERICAN ACADEMY OF PEDIATRICS-ENDORSED EDUCATION PROGRAM THAT HIGHLIGHTS DAIRY RECOMMENDATIONS IN OVERALL FOOD GUIDANCE. IN 2024, DMI MADE SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS TOWARD DELIVERING MORE SOLUTIONS FOR FARMERS THROUGH RESEARCH, EDUCATION, AND OUTREACH TO HELP FURTHER DEMONSTRATE THAT DAIRY IS AN ENVIRONMENTAL SOLUTION. SUPPORTING FARMERS BY INCREASING AWARENESS OF AND ACCESS TO PUBLIC FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ON-FARM SUSTAINABILITY PROJECTS WAS EXPLORED THROUGH A PILOT PROGRAM WITH MIDWEST DAIRY AND LASSO. THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO SUPPORT 30 FARMERS THROUGH THE GRANT PROCESS. MIDWEST DAIRY HAS PLANS TO CONTINUE THE GRANT SUPPORT WITH TWO ADDITIONAL STATE AND REGIONAL CHECKOFF ORGANIZATIONS LOOKING TO START PILOTS IN 2025. OVERALL, THESE INITIATIVES COLLECTIVELY CONTRIBUTED TO ENHANCING THE GLOBAL POSITIONING OF DAIRY, ENSURING THAT IT REMAINS A TRUSTED AND SUSTAINABLE CHOICE FOR CONSUMERS WORLDWIDE. |
| Form 990, Part III, Line 4d Description of other program services | (Expenses $ including grants of $) EXPORTS DMI PARTNERS WITH FOOD/RETAIL/DAIRY COMPANIES TO IMPLEMENT MARKETING PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES TO FACILITATE THE SALES OF U.S. PRODUCED DAIRY PRODUCTS AND DAIRY INGREDIENTS OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES ACROSS VARIOUS KEY INTERNATIONAL MARKETS. |
| Form 990, Part VI, Line 11b Review of form 990 by governing body | FORM 990 IS AVAILABLE TO ALL BOARD MEMBERS FOR REVIEW UPON REQUEST. MANAGEMENT REVIEWS THE DETAILS OF THE FORM 990 WITH THE ORGANIZATION'S ATTORNEYS AND ITS AUDIT AND TAX FIRM. |
| Form 990, Part VI, Line 12c Conflict of interest policy | THE CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY IS REVIEWED IN DETAIL WITH THE BOARD AND BY THE ORGANIZATION'S CORPORATE ATTORNEYS ANNUALLY. BOARD MEMBERS ARE REQUIRED TO COMPLETE AN ANNUAL CERTIFICATION OF COMPLIANCE WITH THE CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY. BOARD MEMBERS ARE ASKED TO RECUSE THEMSELVES FROM VOTING IF THEY ARE PERSONALLY INVOLVED IN A MATTER THAT COULD GIVE RISE TO CONFLICTS. |
| Form 990, Part VI, Line 15a Process to establish compensation of top management official | CEO COMPENSATION IS DETERMINED WITH THE INVOLVEMENT OF THE PERSONNEL COMMITTEE OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS. CEO, OFFICER AND KEY EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION IS DETERMINED THROUGH THE USE OF INDUSTRY SURVEYS, MARKET SALARY GUIDES AND OTHER COMPETITIVE COMPENSATION INFORMATION. |
| Form 990, Part VI, Line 15b Process to establish compensation of other employees | CEO COMPENSATION IS DETERMINED WITH THE INVOLVEMENT OF THE PERSONNEL COMMITTEE OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS. CEO, OFFICER AND KEY EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION IS DETERMINED THROUGH THE USE OF INDUSTRY SURVEYS, MARKET SALARY GUIDES AND OTHER COMPETITIVE COMPENSATION INFORMATION. |
| Form 990, Part VI, Line 19 Required documents available to the public | GOVERNING DOCUMENTS, CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY, WHISTLE BLOWER POLICY, DOCUMENT RETENTION POLICY AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ARE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST. |
| Software ID: | 24020961 |
| Software Version: | 2024v5.1 |