My View of Nutrition Science in Action
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As dairy farmers, we spend our days focused on caring for cows, producing high-quality milk and keeping our farms running. Conferences filled with nutrition researchers and clinicians probably aren’t places many of us would expect to find ourselves.
That’s why attending the recent American Society for Nutrition annual meeting was such an eye-opening experience.
The American Society for Nutrition (ASN) represents nearly 8,000 scientists, clinicians and other professionals working in academia, health care, government and industry. Its annual meeting brings together more than 3,000 people from around the world to share research, exchange perspectives and advance the understanding and application of nutrition science. These are the people conducting research, publishing in respected scientific journals and helping shape the future of global nutrition recommendations.
This is why National Dairy Council (NDC) has maintained a longstanding relationship with ASN.
One of the things that impressed me at the conference wasn’t just the quality of the research being presented. It was watching our checkoff team engage with the broader nutrition science community. Everywhere we went, people stopped NDC President Dr. Katie Brown and other NDC scientists and registered dietitians to thank them for their work, exchange ideas and have conversations about nutrition science. It was clear that NDC wasn’t simply attending this meeting – it was a respected voice within the broader nutrition science community.
As a farmer, it made me incredibly proud to think about the decades of nutrition research supported by NDC and the trusted relationships our team has developed with scientists and health professionals in the U.S. and around the world.
Much of the science discussed at ASN is highly technical. I’ll admit a lot of it is beyond my expertise. But that’s why farmers and importers invest in the checkoff. NDC experts understand the research and can help bring dairy-related evidence into broader discussions. They also translate complex findings into useful, science-based information for health and wellness professionals and consumers.
A meeting highlight was an NDC-led symposium on dairy foods and cardiometabolic health. Katie moderated a panel of internationally recognized experts and NDC nutrition scientist Dr. Moises Torres-Gonzalez discussed the latest evidence on milk, cheese and yogurt and their role in healthy eating patterns.
What stood out wasn’t just the impressive credentials of the panelists – it was hearing one researcher describe how the growing body of evidence led him to reconsider some of his earlier assumptions about dairy foods.
To me, that was a reminder that science requires curiosity, dialogue and a willingness to let research inform understanding.
I had the opportunity to share my perspective as a farmer with professionals who wanted to hear about farm life. The conversations reminded me that science helps explain the contributions dairy foods make to health, while farmers provide a personal connection to how they are produced. Together, these conversations help build understanding and trust.
One of my biggest takeaways was seeing the many ways NDC engages with ASN. NDC experts serve on ASN committees and in leadership roles, contributing their expertise while learning from others. NDC also supports ASN Foundation awards that recognize contributions to dairy science and help early career investigators pursue research on dairy foods and health. These efforts reflect the collaborative, long-term approach required to advance nutrition science.
Scientific discoveries don’t stop at borders, and scientists around the world learn from one another. Through sustained engagement with ASN and other organizations, NDC helps bring dairy-related research into the broader scientific discussion and supports the exchange of information among experts.
That work requires consistency, credibility and mutual respect. Those relationships take years to develop and reflect the reputation NDC has worked to build throughout its century-long history.
Most farmers may never have an opportunity to attend meetings like ASN. But being there gave me a greater appreciation for how our checkoff represents our investment in science.
After the meeting, Katie reflected, “Nutrition is a field that never runs out of things to discover.” Those words stayed with me because they capture why our partnership with ASN matters. As new research emerges and our understanding of nutrition evolves, NDC can help foster conversations in which experts examine the evidence, ask thoughtful questions and identify how to apply what they learn to improve public health.
Every relationship NDC builds, every scientific discussion our team participates in and every opportunity to connect farmers with the nutrition community helps strengthen understanding of dairy foods and the people who produce them.
While we are caring for our cows and managing our farms, we can feel confident that our checkoff team is listening, learning and contributing to the nutrition science conversation that is shaping the future.
