June Dairy Month is wrapping up for 2026, but local dairy farmers know that dairy production is a 365-day-a-year job. June Dairy Month is a time for producers throughout the state and here in Wright County to take pride in featuring one of the world’s most versatile, and valuable food products.
Charles Krause is a dairy producer in Buffalo, and serves as the Chair of the Midwest Dairy Board. He says the origin of June Dairy Month came somewhat out of necessity…
“Back in the day, the farmers calved in the spring, the cows went on pasture in May, and we had this big flush of milk. It was beyond the normal supply, so they decided to use June as the month to talk about how great it was and try to get people to consume more.”
He says a little-known fact that ties into June Dairy Month is that Wright County has a direct tie to the very beginnings of an internationally-known brand and product…
“One really interesting tidbit I’ve brought up before…Buffalo, Minnesota when the creamery used to be here in 1922, produced the very first sweet cream butter for Land O’ Lakes in the whole world. Right here in Buffalo, Minnesota was out of our creamery was downtown. So, we have some history going back to a world-wide known brand of butter, so that’s pretty cool to have.”
Charles says June has been a very busy month for Wright County’s very own Princess Kay of the Milky Way, Malorie Thorson of Waverly who is continuing her reign this summer as the state’s dairy industry representative.
(image: Midwest Dairy)
But he says the Wright County Dairy princesses and ambassadors will also continue to have a jam-packed calendar through the summer months. Thousands of people will see them this week at various 4th of July celebrations and parades…
“One of the things that I think the people on the parade routes like is that we don’t throw candy out, we give out cheese sticks and yogurt. Kids are going to get enough sugar in ’em so maybe if you want some nutrition and 13 essential vitamins and minerals in a little snack. The dairy princesses are handing them out throughout much of the summer, not just in June.”
You can dig deeper into the local dairy story at; www.midwestdairy.com.
