Newberry County is known as the dairy capital South Carolina, so it seems a natural fit for local farmers to help promote products that are giving back to American milkers.

Senn-Sational Jerseys was started 37 years ago by Frank Senn and his sons. Today, the dairy farm on Island Ford Road is run by Charles and Anne Senn and their children, Jenny, Chad and Lorie.

Jenny Senn says the current economy is the worst local farmers have ever faced.

As the farm pays more to harvest food, and other expenses for the 400-head herd of cows, the farm is losing 30 percent on each gallon of milk they produce.

But with a recent survey noting that 92 percent of Southerners believe it is important to support American farmers, the Senns, and other local dairymen, are asking locals to purchase a brand that gives back to them.

While Borden Cheese is a nationally-known company, it is owned by a co-op of farmers called Dairy Farmers of America. Borden Cheese is returning 100 percent of its proceeds back to American dairy farmers that belong to the cooperative.

As a part of the cooperative, Chad Senn and wife, Melonie, and daughter Talen are appearing in national Borden ads in magazines like the August issue of Better Homes and Gardens.

Jenny Senn says the campaign is more important today than ever. With dairymen retiring and going out of business on a regular basis, she says if consumers don’t get behind local farmers, more milk will be imported from countries that don’t have strict regulations on the product.

She adds that the milk produced at her Silverstreet barn and in others around the county is “inspected more than Coke or Pepsi or bottled water.”

She also says there is no difference between the local milk and organic milk.

“Milk is the highest regulated product and the safest and healthiest in the world,” Jenny Senn promises.

But she says the jug of milk purchased in the local stores could become unhealthy if the local farmers don’t get the support they need.

She adds that U.S. customers also pay less for milk than those in other countries.

“Do you want to buy cheese from Europe or China?” she asks. “Buy American and local to help the farmer and community.”

Jenny Senn adds that by helping the local farmer, they in turn are able to keep a number of other local businesses in business. She adds her farm buys local supplies, fuel and other needs.

As far as promoting health, Senn says she recently read where milk can help lower the risk of strokes and heart disease, which runs in her family, by 15 to 20 percent.

“I have told everyone to drink another glass of milk each day,” she says.

For stories about the farmers behind Borden® Cheese, recipes straight from the farm and a complete list of stores where Borden® Cheese products are sold, visit

www.FriendsOfElsie.com.

Dairy Farmers of America, Inc. is a dairy marketing cooperative that serves and is owned by more than 18,000 dairy farmers in 48 states and most of the local dairymen are members. DFA is one of the country’s most diversified manufacturers of dairy products, food components and ingredients, and is a leader in formulating and packaging shelf-stable dairy products.