Jessie Potterton, 30
Mineral Point, Wisconsin
Director of Prospective Student Services, College of Agricultural & Life Sciences, University of Wisconsin – Madison

Last time you visited a farm?
Yesterday afternoon I visited my mom and dad’s hobby farm. They have a small cow-calf farm with 14 cows, and now their calves, on 14 acres.

How close have you ever been to a dairy cow?
I’ve touched one, petted one, led one around a show ring, put my hand inside one (in a college course) and milked one.

What dairy products do you most frequently buy?
Milk, yogurt, cheese and butter

Why do you consume dairy products?
Because I’m addicted to them and so is my family. When I take my 2-year-old to the doctor, he says my child is drinking too much milk.

How many gallons do you buy in a month?
4 to 5

What is a good deal for a gallon of milk?
I currently pay $3.62 at Kwik Trip (a local convenience store). I buy milk there because for every lid, five cents goes back to the local school.

How much is too much to pay for a gallon of milk?
I don’t think I have a cost for that. I will always buy milk no matter what.

What is your favorite or most frequent time/place to consume dairy products?
When I’m eating Oreo cookies or with steak and potatoes for supper. Really, anytime when I’m at home milk quenches my thirst.

Favorite dairy brand
Swiss Valley for milk and Kraft for cheese. We also buy local cheese from Hook’s Cheese Company in Mineral Point.

If one-on-one with a dairy farmer, what question would you ask him or her?

I would try to get to know them better and ask them how things work on their farm.

What word would you use to describe the work of a dairy farmer?
Endless, relentless, unacknowledged

Positive industry image
Dairy farmers are amazing people, hard workers and really collaborative. Just in our community when a barn burned down, just about every dairy farmer came with a trailer to pick up cows and helped with milking until a new barn was built.

Negative industry image
Not getting enough information out there. You don’t hear much about the positives of the industry.

Who do you trust for information about your food?
I look at the label on the back of the container. If I have a question, I might call somebody who would know something about it. I try to get my information from reputable sources, not the news media, which usually puts a spin on it.

FACT: 94% of pediatricians recommend three daily servings of dairy for children 8 or younger.

Source: Dairy Management Inc. Health Professional Tracker, 2010

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Progressive Dairyman