Milk. It’s good for you, and good for our state, too.
Dairy farms in New England have been fighting to stay relevant when most national business has gone out west. And they’re putting up their promoting dukes by highlighting a few benefits that anyone looking to live a more sustainable life can reconcile: Buying locally made dairy products cuts down on travel and packaging that would come with a national brand, and maintaining local farms will also maintain open space. We get to enjoy the land and the working of that land provides jobs, sustenance and revenue.
Unfortunately, more than 150 New England dairy farms have been lost in the last two years, and thousands were lost in the years prior to that, according to Keeplocalfarms.org. Keep Local Farms is an education and contribution program that connects consumers with local dairy farmers and allows those who are interested in purchasing local foods to support their local farmers.
Here are a few simple ways to benefit from New Hampshire’s dairy farms:

• Buy locally made milk, cheese, yogurt and other dairy products at the store. Nhdairypromo.com provides resources for consumers.
• Contribute to the Keep Local Farms program. One hundred percent of any contribution goes directly to assist New England dairy farmers and help stabilize and enhance their income.
• Support the businesses and organizations that display the Keep Local Farms logo or the Garnite State Dairy Promotion logo.