Putting family farm faces on the No. 1 milk state

Building greater consumer confidence in dairy products by showing the tremendous care and caring that California dairy families put into what they do is the focus of 15 compelling videos at www.realcaliforniamilk.com, hosted by the California Milk Advisory Board.

Filmed at dairies up and down the state, the beautifully crafted videos don’t focus on “where does milk come from?” as much as they do on some of the people who produce it -- in their own homes, in their own fields and corrals, and in their own words. There are no scripts or sets or suits, just real California milk producers and their families talking honestly and spontaneously about what they do and why they love doing it.

The two-minute vignettes are informative, engrossing and often surprising slices of Golden State dairy Americana. Not only does the unabashed joy of working with animals and producing wholesome food come ringing through loud and clear, but there are also some unexpectedly touching, poignant moments when memories of sacrifice and loss are recalled.

The videos brim with insight and surprises, calves and kids, gorgeous cinematography, and sincerity that can’t be rehearsed. They also put real, reassuring faces on the No. 1 milk state that debunk the corporate farming myth and skewer the myopic “factory farm” stereotype. Whether you take the time to watch a few videos or all 15, we think you’ll be glad you did.