Promotion is key to the success of any business. In the article above, my goal is to promote higher quality forages. I know that this will make our customers money, regardless of whether they purchase inoculants from ANC or a competitor. You must promote dairy products regardless of whether or not the milk sold came from your cows! Yes, you pay for advertising through your milk check, but a good producer is also a good promoter!

It is rare that any of us goes into a place of business where they do not promote what they sell. I know a paint manufacturer that sells almost all of his paint wholesale to contractors, yet he will be glad to inform any consumer of the benefits of his brand.

Milk, butter, yogurt, cheese, and cottage cheese are all staples in our household. As I travel the contry, I like to explore cheese factories and buy their specialty brands. Some of our ANC customers give us cheese for Christmas from their own dairy manufacturer. We give cheese to our consultants also. My wife and I donate cream for the coffee at church every Sunday, and when they have a dinner we donate the butter, milk, and cheese. Many people have complemented how nice it is to have these dairy products available. Some even ask if I sell them! I say, "Not directly, but my living depends on them!" I then get a chance to explain what we do at ANC. People are amazed that cows are fed that accurately and that well, and that today's dairy farmer is so advanced!

We need to promote what we do every day to be successful in our businesses! It is real easy for consumers to get the wrong idea about dairy products or meat based on a little negative publicity. They think everything is produced with drugs, and that these drugs may be in what they eat. Often asked is the effect of BST or BGH on milk. They are surprised to find out that is has no effect on the milk. All they remember is the negative press, and from that standpoint alone it has hurt the dairy industry. Some positive articles need to be written and picked up by the press.

As a final note, we went to a movie the other night and they asked if we wanted "butter" on our popcorn. Well, it wasn't butter, it was some greasy imitation. I like popcorn, so it did not slow me up too much, but I felt sick for the next several hours from that grease! I've decided I don't like popcorn as much as I thought!

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