Dairy farmers can nominate anyone who has shown them an act of kindness, big or small at cargilldairydreams.com/whiteheartaward.

“We want to make it easy for dairies to thank the people who are supporting them and help them find something encouraging during this difficult time,” says Josh Hushon, strategic marketing lead for Cargill’s North American dairy business. “We believe a little recognition can go a long way in lifting someone’s spirit, and hope that this award can help lift the spirit of an entire industry.”

With the coronavirus pandemic damaging the milk price and market access, the stress of running a dairy farm is at epic proportions and that stress can take a toll on mental health. According to Mental Health America, fostering optimism, searching for the silver lining and practicing gratitude can help people stay positive and improve their mental outlook. With May being Mental Health month, Cargill was inspired to create an initiative that could help dairy farmers put these tips into practice. The White Heart Award will help inspire people to notice more of the encouraging things happening around them, while also giving them a way to express their gratitude beyond words.

“The domino effect of school and business shutdowns and safer-at-home orders has been crushing to our industry both financially and emotionally,” says Jessica Peters, owner of Spruce Row Farm in Meadville, Pennsylvania, and admin of the Instagram account goodnews_ag where she also shines a light on positive stories happening across agriculture. “The White Heart Award is a way for us to celebrate the good in our lives. Even small acts of kindness can make a huge difference in someone’s day.”

Related:COVID-19 intensifies rural mental health concerns

Any individual is eligible receive the White Heart Award. To be considered for the award, a person must be nominated by the dairy farmer on the receiving end of their kindness. Nominations will be open until July 31, 2020. All nominees will be considered by Cargill for the award. Winners will be selected by a panel of Cargill employees. Both the winners and the nominating dairy farms will be rewarded with a year’s worth of dairy products.

All White Heart Award nominations will be visible on a Recognition Wall. “Between these nomination stories and the posts on goodnews_ag we hope dairy farmers will find inspiration and encouragement to get them through this difficult time,” says Hushon.

Source: Cargill, which is solely responsible for the information provided and is wholly owned by the source. Informa Business Media and all its subsidiaries are not responsible for any of the content contained in this information asset. 

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