To: FOOD AND NATIONAL EDITORS
Contact: Peggy Armstrong, +1-202-220-3508, parmstrong@idfa.org
WASHINGTON, July 15, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The International Ice Cream Association encourages consumers to celebrate National Ice Cream Day on Sunday, July 17, by enjoying one of America's favorite treats. July is National Ice Cream Month.
In 1984, President Ronald Reagan designated July as National Ice Cream Month and the third Sunday of the month as National Ice Cream Day. He recognized ice cream as a fun and nutritious food that is enjoyed by a full 90 percent of the nation's population. In the proclamation, President Reagan called for all people of the United States to observe these events with "appropriate ceremonies and activities."
"Ronald Reagan lived and led with a spirit of optimism and good humor. As we celebrate the Centennial of his birth, National Ice Cream Day, designated by President Reagan, is a great time to honor his life and legacy and enjoy this wonderfully American treat," said Stewart McLaurin, executive director of the Reagan Centennial for the Reagan Foundation. "Here at the Reagan Library in Simi Valley, California, we have a large cooler of ice cream treats, and I always think of Ronald Reagan and National Ice Cream Month when I enjoy one."
Approximately 1.5 billion gallons of ice cream, including both hard- and soft-serve, are produced each year. The U.S. ice cream industry generates billions in annual sales and provides jobs for thousands of citizens. About 9 percent of all the milk produced by U.S. dairy farmers is used to produce ice cream, contributing significantly to the economic well-being of the nation's dairy industry.
Founded in 1900, IICA is the trade association for manufacturers and distributors of ice cream and other frozen dessert products. The association's activities range from legislative and regulatory advocacy to market research, education and training. Its 80 member companies manufacture and distribute an estimated 85 percent of the ice cream and frozen dessert products consumed in the United States. IICA is a constituent organization of the International Dairy Foods Association.
The International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA), Washington, D.C., represents the nation's dairy manufacturing and marketing industries and their suppliers, with a membership of 550 companies representing a $110-billion a year industry. IDFA is composed of three constituent organizations: the Milk Industry Foundation (MIF), the National Cheese Institute (NCI) and the International Ice Cream Association (IICA). IDFA's 220 dairy processing members run more than 600 plant operations, and range from large multi-national organizations to single-plant companies. Together they represent more than 85 percent of the milk, cultured products, cheese and frozen desserts produced and marketed in the United States.
SOURCE: International Dairy Foods Association
All ice cream art by: Andy Warhol, 1956-9
Post-Script: For those who like "back-stories", I posted this in a moment of unexpected joy just before leaving for a trip to Maine to see Jane today. Everything had been going pretty well when it looked like we would be facing a major veterinary emergency, which would have necessitated canceling the trip. I'll leave out the details of why, ultimately, we weren't ("Nature is only another chimera" -- J. Torma), but when the virtual "all-clear" sounded, I unexpectedly came upon the National Ice Cream Day press release, wondered why such a wonder wasn't universally known (I mean, it has a higher order of quality and relevance than the new Harry Potter movies) and felt like amplifying the news. I also tasted the Basssett's Chocolate Chocolate-Chip Ice Cream in the freezer, which was astonishing. Once the world was put right, it fell apart again. On our way to the Newark Airport Sheraton, we received an auto-call on the cell telling us that our flight to Portland tomorrow morning, i.e., 16 hours hence, was canceled because of weather (you figure that one out) and I spent the next 3.5 hours on the mobile irradiating my brain and slowly rearranging our flights (we're headed to Manchester, NH now) and car rentals. What was it that Pigpen sang -- "Death Don't Have No Mercy"? Well, compared to Continental Airlines and Avis, I may need to revise my reading of The Inferno. Last summer, it was figurative. This summer, it all seems so literal. But . . . .it's National Ice Cream Day. Someone needs to REMIND the English-speaking pitchfork crowds out on both sides of the Big Pond of this Truth -- especially the fellow whose Facebook posting I read yesterday that unkindly (to say the least) and depressingly described someone else's (someone I can guarantee you this person doesn't know, hasn't met, and never will) "incalculable number of sins". I mean, really. I hope that Democrats and anti-Reaganites will ignore the Reagan historical references in the press release, which are obviously included as a matter of historical description, and simply drink in (if that's the right expression) the loveliness and optimism of the existence of National Ice Cream Day. I'm sure Andy Warhol would have. My mother, who had a lot on her mind and not always happy thoughts, enjoyed ice cream every day of her life. (She was rail-thin, by the way, a state I currently aspire to and will achieve in due course, i.e., within the next several months if certain people start calling and others stop.)
Post-Script: For those who like "back-stories", I posted this in a moment of unexpected joy just before leaving for a trip to Maine to see Jane today. Everything had been going pretty well when it looked like we would be facing a major veterinary emergency, which would have necessitated canceling the trip. I'll leave out the details of why, ultimately, we weren't ("Nature is only another chimera" -- J. Torma), but when the virtual "all-clear" sounded, I unexpectedly came upon the National Ice Cream Day press release, wondered why such a wonder wasn't universally known (I mean, it has a higher order of quality and relevance than the new Harry Potter movies) and felt like amplifying the news. I also tasted the Basssett's Chocolate Chocolate-Chip Ice Cream in the freezer, which was astonishing. Once the world was put right, it fell apart again. On our way to the Newark Airport Sheraton, we received an auto-call on the cell telling us that our flight to Portland tomorrow morning, i.e., 16 hours hence, was canceled because of weather (you figure that one out) and I spent the next 3.5 hours on the mobile irradiating my brain and slowly rearranging our flights (we're headed to Manchester, NH now) and car rentals. What was it that Pigpen sang -- "Death Don't Have No Mercy"? Well, compared to Continental Airlines and Avis, I may need to revise my reading of The Inferno. Last summer, it was figurative. This summer, it all seems so literal. But . . . .it's National Ice Cream Day. Someone needs to REMIND the English-speaking pitchfork crowds out on both sides of the Big Pond of this Truth -- especially the fellow whose Facebook posting I read yesterday that unkindly (to say the least) and depressingly described someone else's (someone I can guarantee you this person doesn't know, hasn't met, and never will) "incalculable number of sins". I mean, really. I hope that Democrats and anti-Reaganites will ignore the Reagan historical references in the press release, which are obviously included as a matter of historical description, and simply drink in (if that's the right expression) the loveliness and optimism of the existence of National Ice Cream Day. I'm sure Andy Warhol would have. My mother, who had a lot on her mind and not always happy thoughts, enjoyed ice cream every day of her life. (She was rail-thin, by the way, a state I currently aspire to and will achieve in due course, i.e., within the next several months if certain people start calling and others stop.)
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