Iowa 4-H’ers from 10 counties across Iowa participated in a “10 Gallon Milk Challenge.”

Civic Engagement is one the program priorities for Iowa 4-H and this Social Media Challenge that originated in Ohio was right at the heart of Iowa 4-H.

The 4-H’ers who participated not only supported Dairy Farmers by buying milk from their local grocery stores but also helped those in need by donating this milk to the local food pantries, shelter houses, or other non-profit organizations. The 4-H’ers learned about food insecurity and the Dairy Industry. 4-H’ers learned that milk is an item that is often needed at food pantries due to its nutritional value and low shelf life. Iowa 4-H’ers were able to donate 626 gallons of milk to many different organizations from across the state. Shelter Houses, Crisis Centers, Community Food Pantries, and Catholic worker homes were a few of the Organizations that benefited from Iowa 4-H’ers.

Dairy Facts

A dairy cow produces an average of 50 pounds of milk a day and a gallon of milk is approximately 8.6 pounds. This means that 4-H’ers donated 5,383 pounds of milk or about 626 cows daily production.

Challenge Results After 2 Months–Polk County 19 gallons; East Pottawattamie 30 gallons; Mahasaka County 30 gallons; Winneshiek County 30 gallons; Hamilton County 31 gallons; Jefferson County 48 gallons; Osceola County 50 gallons; Benton County 70 gallons; Sioux County: 106 gallons; Linn County 212 gallons

Want to know more about how 4-H’ers are helping their community, reach out to your local Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Office.