The Interactive Lesson Series Can Be Incorporated Into Both Virtual and In-Person Instruction
Discover Dairy’s “Adopt A Cow” program is now open for enrollment for the 2026-27 school year. The free, year-long program has impacted more than 9.4 million students worldwide since 2020, giving students an inside look at a dairy farm in the United States through photo and video updates, interactive resources, free lesson plans and more.
“We hope to continue building on the momentum of the Adopt a Cow program as we start another school year this month. From elementary teachers who teach science, math and art to pre-schools and nutrition directors, this program is truly building connections between students and the dairy industry as a whole,” shared Brittany Snyder, Dairy Education Program Manager at the Dairy Excellence Foundation. “After completing the program, 96 percent of teachers surveyed shared that their students are now knowledgeable about the dairy industry. It’s exciting to see how this program helps students build trust – they learn to trust the care farmers provide to their cows, they trust that the milk they drink is safe, and they trust that dairy farmers are taking great care of our environment and natural resources. Thank you to the partners and the dairy farmers who participate in the program for helping to drive home these lessons and lifelong connections with students.”
From traditional classrooms to home school groups, cafeterias, libraries and more, the Adopt a Cow program is made possible through the generous support of Dairy Excellence Foundation donors and program partners. Thank you to American Dairy Association Northeast, American Dairy Association Indiana, Midwest Dairy, The Dairy Alliance, Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin, Dairy Management West, Dairy West, New England Dairy, American Dairy Association Mideast, Dairy Council of Florida, and Maine Dairy and Nutrition Council for patterning to make this program possible for more students each year.
Each classroom that enrolls in the Adopt a Cow program is paired with a calf from a dairy farm. Teachers and students receive photos, video updates, and activity sheets throughout the school year that allow them to watch their calf grow. Through immersive, hands-on learning activities and free curriculum provided by Discover Dairy, students gain a deeper understanding of the dairy industry and where their food comes from. Several of the lessons in the curriculum follow Common CORE standards in Math, Reading, and Science.
“We created a bulletin board to share updates about our cow. Students frequently stopped to ask how she is doing, and many proudly say that milk comes from their calf’s mom. This shows how the Adopt A Cow program helped them make a real-world connection between the farm and the food they consume,” shared Lourdes, a cafeteria leader who participated in the program.
The Adopt a Cow program also offers live virtual chats and farm tours. These chats allow students to talk directly with a dairy farmer, meet their calves, tour the farm, and ask questions about milk production. Last year, more than 48,000 classrooms and groups participated in the program. Classrooms from all 50 states participated in the program along with a total of 38 countries, impacting over 2.1 million students. Schools from both rural and urban areas can enroll, bringing dairy farming to life for students of all ages and demographics.
“Throughout the Adopt A Cow program, we did learning stations such as trying different cheeses and graphing our favorites, trying yogurt and cottage cheese, building a fence for a cow (STEM), doing a directive drawing of a cow, and reading various stories with cows as the main character. One of my students shared how excited she was because she has never seen a real animal before. Thank you so much for this experience. We are excited for the new year,” shared an elementary teacher who participated in the program.
The Early Enrollment sign-up period opened on May 1 and closes on September 1, 2026. Those who enroll by September 1 will receive a printed welcome packet that includes an adoption certificate and photo of their calf. Those who enroll after September 1 and before January 31, 2027 can participate in the program digitally. To enroll in the Adopt a Cow program, visit www.discoverdairy.com/adopt or contact the Dairy Excellence Foundation at 717-346-0849 for more information. Contact Brittany Snyder at bsnyder@centerfordairyexcellence.org for promotional material to help spread the word about the program.
The Adopt a Cow program is made possible through the generous support of Dairy Excellence Foundation donors and program partners, including American Dairy Association Northeast, American Dairy Association Indiana, Midwest Dairy, The Dairy Alliance, Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin, Dairy Management West, Dairy West, New England Dairy, American Dairy Association Mideast, Dairy Council of Florida, and Maine Dairy and Nutrition Council.