Virtual Dairy Farm Tour Educates 11,000 Students Across 45 States

CoBar Dairy, located in Mount Upton, New York, organized a virtual tour for students in collaboration with the American Dairy Association. The event took place on the morning of December 8, 2025, and was conducted via Zoom, allowing students to participate without leaving their classrooms. The tour was attended by 11,000 students fr om 45 different states, providing a broad educational reach.

Jed Barnes, a partner at CoBar Dairy, emphasized the farm's goal of increasing awareness among students about the origins of their milk. He stated, "To reach as far as we can, as many students as we can, to give them a little bit of background on wh ere milk is made."

Beyond educating students, Barnes noted the broader aim of the farm to inform consumers about healthy food choices and local farming practices. He remarked on the importance of educating consumers to counter negative public perceptions of the dairy industry, saying, "At the end of the day, that's what we want to try to do is educate the consumer so they can be aware of where their food comes from and how healthy it is for them."

This virtual tour is part of a wider initiative by the American Dairy Association and local farms to provide educational experiences that highlight the dairy production process and its significance in everyday life.