The checkoff’s memorandum of understanding with Mayo includes Dairy Management Inc. (DMI), National Dairy Council (NDC) and the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy (IC).
“This is a milestone moment for dairy farmers who made this possible through their century-long commitment to research and dairy nutrition,” said DMI CEO Barbara O’Brien.
“This doesn’t happen without the strong national reputation farmers have built through National Dairy Council. This is a powerful collaboration that shows how the dairy checkoff is expanding our scientific network to bring a modernized complement to our legacy and move us further into the future.”
The collaboration will be incorporated across Mayo Clinic’s campuses in Rochester, Minn., Scottsdale and Phoenix, Ariz., and Jacksonville, Fla.
Teams comprised of NDC scientists and registered dietitians, Mayo Clinic physicians and health professionals as well as Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy staff will lead initiatives focused on three areas.
They will research how dairy foods, particularly whole milk dairy, impacts cardiovascular health and metabolic conditions. Other potential research areas include dairy’s role on calm, sleep, digestive health and immunity.
Another initiative is to communicate dairy research and insights with the scientific community, health and wellness professionals and consumers.
The collaboration said it will also explore “dairy’s role through digital platforms to propel people into a new way of precisely managing their wellness.”
“This collaboration illustrates the checkoff’s consumer-first focus and our commitment to leading with credible science,” said Marilyn Hershey, a Pennsylvania dairy farmer and chair of DMI.