Irish dairy farmer Katie Gleeson and Olympic sprinter Sophie Becker have swapped worlds as part of a new campaign highlighting the journey of yogurt from farm to an active lifestyle.

The campaign sees National Dairy Council ambassador Katie Gleeson welcome Sophie Becker onto her dairy farm in Templemore, Co. Tipperary, before Gleeson visits the athlete’s training environment at the Sport Ireland Institute in Dublin.

The initiative forms part of the third year of the European Milk Forum’s co-funded “Yogurt, It’s Great Inside” campaign.

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During her visit to the farm, Becker experienced first hand how Gleeson is working to make her farm increasingly sustainable through animal care, land management, resource use and environmental action.

Gleeson said sustainability on farms is on ongoing process rather than one big change.

“Sustainability isn’t a destination or something that can be achieved through one big change. It is an ongoing journey shaped by the decisions we take every day – from how we care for our animals and land to how we use resources and keep looking for practical ways to improve.

“Farming is always evolving. We are continually learning, adapting and building on the progress already made so that we can produce quality milk while making our farms more sustainable and resilient for the next generation,” she said.

From farm to finish line

Gleeson then visited Becker at the Sport Ireland Institute to learn more about the athlete’s training routine and the role nutritious foods, such as plain or natural yogurt, can play as part of a healthy, balanced diet.

“Visiting Sophie’s training environment brought the connection to life for me. It was rewarding to see how the milk produced on farms like mine becomes nutritious foods such as yogurt, which can help support athletes and people with active lifestyles,” Gleeson said.

Becker said she wanted to learn more about sustainability on farms.

“I already understood yogurt’s nutritional benefits, but I wanted to learn more about the sustainability journey taking place on Irish dairy farms.

“Meeting Katie showed me that sustainability is about ongoing progress - continually examining how things are done, making practical improvements, and building on them over time. Seeing the care Katie gives her animals and land gave me a much greater appreciation of everything behind the yogurt I eat.”

The campaign aims to connect farm and consumer and will roll out across digital, social, out-of-home and editorial channels in Ireland.