June 25 Dairy Month Celebration to be Held at ISU Dairy Farm

AMES, Iowa — The Iowa State University Dairy Farm will be the site for a Dairy Month celebration on June 25 from 6 to 11 a.m. The event is open to the public and will include tours of the milking parlor, barns and a discovery center for children, which opens at 7 a.m. Free samples of milk, cheese, yogurt and ice cream will be available courtesy of Iowa's dairy processors. The dairy farm, which opened in 2007, includes free stall, dry cow and heifer buildings designed for young cows and cows preparing to calve. The milking center also houses offices, a classroom, milking parlor and a public-viewing area. The state-of-the-art facility sits on 887 acres, three miles south of central campus. Iowa has 1,910 dairy farms with 216,000 milk cows producing 4.3 billion pounds of milk annually. The dairy industry accounts for more than 26,000 jobs and contributes more than $1.5 billion annually to Iowa's economy. The celebration is sponsored by the Coalition to Support Iowa's Farmers, Midwest Dairy Association, Iowa State Dairy Association and the Iowa State Dairy Farm. The dairy farm is located at 52470 260th St., which is south of Ames. To drive to the farm from Highway 30 take University Boulevard, exit 146, go south one mile and turn right on 260th Street.