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News Release
Girl Scouts of Oregon and Southwest Washington's Oregon Dairy Patch
Girl Scouts of Oregon and Southwest Washington's Oregon Dairy Patch
Girl Scouts, Tillamook County Creamery Association and Oregon Dairy and Nutrition Council Debut New Dairy Education Program (Photo) - 10/18/18

Girl Scouts, Tillamook County Creamery Association andOregon Dairy and Nutrition Council Debut New Dairy Education Program

Oregon Dairy Patch Program Educates about STEM Concepts, Farms and Food Production;
200 Girl Scouts Will Gather at Tillamook Creamery for Program Launch on October 20

PORTLAND, OR. – October 18, 2018 – Girl Scouts of Oregon and Southwest Washington (GSOSW), in partnership with the Tillamook County Creamery Association (TCCA) and Oregon Dairy and Nutrition Council (ODNC), today announced a new program designed to educate girls about STEM concepts, farms and food production through a look at the Oregon dairy industry. Dairy is Oregon’s fifth most valuable commodity and milk is the official beverage of Oregon.

Through five hands-on steps, the Oregon Dairy Patch program encourages girls to learn by doing as they visit a dairy farm, discover how milk is transformed into dairy products, explore dairy nutrition, and learn about careers in the industry, ranging from dairy farmer to food scientist to food marketer. The program finishes off with a taste test.

“The Oregon Dairy Patch program is a great opportunity for girls to discover the local food chain. It encourages them to be curious about where their food comes from, and what it takes to get it from the farm to the factory to their table,” said Lisa Gilham-Luginbill, Program Manager for Girl Scouts of Oregon and Southwest Washington. “We hope they’ll learn something new along the way, and perhaps discover an interest or future career in the process.”

About 30 percent of farmers in the U.S. are women. Of the estimated 969,672 female farmers, about a third of them are the “principal operators,” which means they are the person primarily responsible for running the farm day-to-day. Many women are leading the way for dairy and agriculture in Oregon including producers, processors, board members and even the director of the Oregon Department of Agriculture, Alexis Taylor. The Oregon Dairy Women celebrate their 60th anniversary in 2019, with many members dedicating decades of advocacy and service to the organization.

“The development of the Oregon Dairy Patch program is truly a story of successful partnership,” said Sarah Beaubien, Senior Director of Stewardship at TCCA. “Sparked by the leadership of local Seaside Girl Scout troop leader Ashley Houston and her desire to expand the education of her girls, this partnership has since become a collaborative effort between multiple stakeholder groups. At TCCA, it aligns with our Enriched Communities commitment to support agricultural advocacy, food security, and healthful children.”

“Like milk and cookies, working with Girl Scouts to build understanding about dairy is a perfect pairing,” said Josh Thomas, Senior Director of Communications for the Oregon Dairy and Nutrition Council. “Less than two percent of Americans have a connection to agriculture, so we’re bridging a gap with the youth of today who will be the leaders of tomorrow.”

200 Girl Scouts to Celebrate Inaugural Oregon Dairy Day at Tillamook Creamery October 20

The new program will be debuted at an event on October 20, 2018, held at TCCA’s new visitor experience, the Tillamook Creamery, in Tillamook, Oregon. 200 Girl Scout members will complete patch program steps as they visit an in-depth farm exhibit, meet dairy professionals and learn about dairy nutrition and the dairy industry from start to finish. The event is open only to Girl Scout members who have previously registered and members of the media.

“We are honored to host the Girl Scouts Oregon Dairy Day at our new Tillamook Creamery,” said Beaubien. “By providing the Girl Scouts a hands-on, interactive experience with dairy professionals??-who may not have the opportunity otherwise—we hope that they leave more knowledgeable about, and interested in, an industry so important to Oregon. And of course, enjoy squeaky cheese curds in the process.”   

Saturday, October 20, 2018
Tillamook Creamery
4165 Highway 101 North
Tillamook, Oregon 97141
10 a.m. - Noon

About Girl Scout Programming

Every opportunity in Girl Scouting is designed to encourage girls to Discover (find out who she is, what she cares about and what her talents are), Connect (collaborate with other people, both locally and globally, to learn from others and expand her horizons), and Take Action (do something to make the world a better place). With supportive adult mentors by their aide, activities are led by girls themselves, feature cooperative learning, and highlight learning by doing. Girls come up with their own ideas, build teams, and experience the joy of making a positive impact.

About Girl Scouts of Oregon and Southwest Washington

In partnership with more than 8,000 adult members, Girl Scouts of Oregon and Southwest Washington prepares 14,500 girls in grades K-12 for a lifetime of leadership, adventure and success. GSOSW’s programs in STEM, the outdoors, entrepreneurship and civic engagement serve girls in 37 counties in Oregon, and in Clark and Skamania counties in Washington. The Girl Scout mission is to build girls of courage, confidence and character, who make the world a better place. For more information, please visit girlscoutsosw.org.

About the Tillamook County Creamery Association
Founded in 1909 as a farmer-owned cooperative, the Tillamook County Creamery Association (TCCA) prides itself on its commitment to bringing to market the most consistent, best tasting, highest quality dairy products made in the most natural way possible. Guided by the belief that everyone deserves real food that makes them feel good every day, Tillamook has earned top awards for their cheese, ice cream, sour cream, butter and yogurt products made with unwavering values that never sacrifice or compromise values for profit. The TCCA is currently made up of nearly 90 farming families, primarily based in Tillamook County, Oregon. Tillamook operates production facilities in Tillamook and Boardman, Oregon, and employs nearly 900 people throughout the state. The Tillamook Creamery is the largest tourist attraction on the coast of Oregon and one of the most popular in the state, attracting more than one million visitors each year. For more information on Tillamook, visit Tillamook.com.

About the Oregon Dairy and Nutrition Council
The Oregon Dairy and Nutrition Council’s (ODNC) origins trace back to 1918, when the Oregon Dairy Council was created to advance the benefits of dairy nutrition. As the state checkoff organization for dairy, ODNC builds trust and demand for Oregon dairy products and support for those who make them. ODNC is funded and directed by 217 dairy farm families and 30 dairy processors in Oregon, with governance by a ten-member Board of Commissioners and oversight by the Oregon Department of Agriculture. Dairy in Oregon provides more than $1 billion in economic impacts annually, along with delicious, award-winning cheeses, ice creams, yogurts, fluid milk and other high quality dairy products.

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