As I walked by the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall in Philadelphia, through the mobs of people here to see these national treasures, I thought of the song "Proud to Be an American."

As the lyrics in this patriotic anthem state, there is "pride in every American heart." We know we are free to make choices and to enjoy the bounties of our beautiful country. We live in a land where food is plentiful and variety is the spice of life.

Who do we have to thank for our abundant food supply? Why, farmers, of course. Making up less than 2 percent of our nation's population, they work diligently and faithfully to provide food for our tables. Because June is National Dairy Month, it seems appropriate to thank our local dairy farmers for their contribution to keeping us well fed.

Pennsylvania ranks fourth nationally in milk production, with approximately 575,000 dairy cows that produce nearly 10.6 million pounds, (that's 1.2 million gallons), of milk each year. Our "Keystone" milk is processed for human consumption in several ways. Fluid milk is what you buy in the stores as whole, low fat and fat free, as well as a variety of flavors.

Our state's processors churn out about 80 million pounds of butter, almost 400 million pounds of cheese and nearly 60 million gallons of ice cream. We rank third in the country for ice cream production.

Surely you've noticed the increased prices for milk and dairy products in the grocery store. Consider these things when you start to doubt spending the extra few cents in the dairy aisle:

What other food offers you nine essential vitamins and minerals, including calcium which helps build strong bones and teeth and defends your body against osteoporosis?

What other food offers such a variety of choices like milk, cheese and yogurt in so many flavors?

What other food may help you lose weight when you consume three low-fat servings a day, combined with a healthy diet and plenty of exercise?

Really, you're getting more bang for your buck by sticking with dairy.

Please don't think the farmers are rolling around in all your hard-earned dough. They only get about 30 cents of each dollar spent on milk, with the rest going toward the processing, packaging and delivery, and handling and selling in the stores.

The price you pay for dairy products is all based on supply and demand. Supply of milk has decreased but the demand for it has increased slightly. One of the main reasons for decreased supply is that farmers have had to cut back on the number of cows they milk, some going out of business altogether, due to receiving record-low milk prices for the past two years. Fortunately, prices are on the upswing for the farmers.

So, during Dairy Month, remember to recognize your local dairy farmers. They are stewards of this great land, producing a safe, wholesome and health-friendly product for you and your family to enjoy.

Jean Kummer is a former employee at the Butler County Penn State Extension.