Latest News From CoOps

Tough financial situations unfolding on farms accelerated the pace of farms exiting, and DFA shared that more than 500 of their member farms exited in 2023. They are now planning to have around 5,100 farms by 2030.

Tillamook County Creamery Association President & CEO Patrick Criteser announced he will step down later this year. David Booth, TCCA's current EVP of Brand Growth & Commercialization has been appointed his replacement.

Jay Bryant, CEO of Maryland & Virginia Milk Producers Cooperative Association (MDVA) announced he will retire from his position at the end of this year. Jon Cowell, current CFO of MDVA, has been named as his replacement.

Southwest plant expansions will likely draw milk from distant regions

Dairy Farmers of America Board Chair, Randy Mooney, told attendees at the 2024 DFA Annual Meeting that the they are financially strong, as it has exceeded projected earnings for the first two months of the year.

The dairy company will increase the plant’s capacity by 10%, or 20 million gallons of dairy products per year.

America’s largest retail store has announced its plans to build a third milk processing plant, this time in Robinson, Texas.

After months Federal Milk Marketing Order hearings unfolding, dairy leaders are still doing what they can to advocate for U.S. dairy farmers. USDA is considering forty proposals that were submitted by stakeholders.

During a year full of farm consolidation, Organic Valley, the largest dairy cooperative of organic farmers in the nation, added an additional 84 farms to its membership in 2023.

Global grains merchant ADM said on Monday it will acquire Revela Foods, a Wisconsin-based developer and manufacturer of dairy flavor ingredients and solutions, to bolster the company's flavors portfolio.

New Zealand dairy group Fonterra said on Thursday food and beverage giant Nestle will make additional payments to its farmers for achieving certain sustainability goals under a new agreement.

Dutch dairy cooperative FrieslandCampina on Tuesday said it would cut 1,800 jobs worldwide in the next two years in a drive to reduce costs and improve profitability.

Darigold, Inc. announced that Chief Executive Officer, Joe Coote, is leaving the company, and the Board Chairman, Allan Huttema, has been named the interim CEO, effective immediately. 

Three National Young Cooperators share about their journey with training and leadership development that has helped propel them forward.

Barbara O’Brien emphasizes at the Joint Annual Meetings last week that the national checkoff board, Dairy Management Inc. (DMI), to which she serves as president and CEO, has changed and evolved since its inception.

H-E-B, a regional supermarket chain throughout Texas and Mexico, has recently announced its plans to expand one of the largest milk processing facilities in the Southwest.

Last week in Orlando, Fla., NMPF Chairman Randy Mooney spoke about the ongoing challenges dairy farmers face, including the razor-thin operating. Still, Mooney spoke about why he remains optimistic about dairy's future.

U.S. dairy cooperatives and processors have taken varying approaches to reduce dairy’s environmental impacts throughout the value chain.

From the Pipeline: Q&A with AMPI's President and CEO, Sheryl Meshke

Supply chain issues once again are hitting the U.S. dairy industry. This time, it’s a shortage of milk cartons.

Recently on a Farm Journal Milk Business webinar, three dairy thought leaders talked about the biggest challenges facing producers and what their takes are on risk management strategies. 

Three business-minded dairy leaders will gather together during a Farm Journal Milk Business Quarterly webinar to share advice on how to future-proof your dairy business.

For the latest list—based on 2022 data—47 of the 100 cooperatives are in agriculture. In all, 59% of the $319 billion in generated revenues of co-operatives are from those ag-focused co-ops: $187.6 billion.  

While the September Milk Production report showed a decline of 0.2% from last year, it also showed a drop in cow numbers, The big winner was South Dakota which produced 21 million more lbs., with 12,000 additional cows.

Organic Valley, the nation’s largest farmer-owned organic cooperative, is partnering with Hawaiian seaweed grower, Symbrosia, to test the viability of feeding seaweed as a means of mitigating livestock methane emissions.

Capping a 40-year-plus career, Jim Mulhern, NMPF president and CEO, will retire at the end of this calendar year. Mulhern talks about the future of dairy, immigration reform and passing the baton to Greg Doud..

Launched in 2003, the Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) program is designed to promote the sale of U.S. dairy products to oversee customers and a program that NMPF says moves a billion lbs. of product annually.

America’s largest retail store has announced its plans to build a $350 million milk processing plant in Valdosta, Ga.

Get to know Dairy Farmers of America President and CEO, Dennis Rodenbaugh

Recently, the board of directors from Select Sires four individual cooperatives voted unanimously to merge together as one full-service A.I. cooperative.

DFA decided to withdraw its membership from the IDFA over IDFA’s decision to proceed with its single-issued petition to modify the federal milk marketing order (FMMO) system.

With much of the Upper Midwest processing capacity maxed out in terms of milk production, finding a new home for milk is not an easy task. This is causing dairy farms to dump milk due to the oversupply. 

Michigan Milk Producers Association and Canadian Dairy Distillery announced a joint initiative that will transform a dairy byproduct into the world’s lowest carbon-intensity ethanol.

Dusting off the ashes from a three-alarm fire that heavily damaged the Organic Valley’s McMinnville, Ore., 25,000-square foot main building in 2021, the cooperative has since rebuilt.

Truterra LLC, the carbon farming and sustainable agriculture unit of Land O'Lakes Inc, paid U.S. farmers $5.1 million in 2022 for capturing and storing 262,000 metric tons of carbon via sustainable practices.

The ribbon has officially been cut on a new dairy processing facility located in Amarillo, Texas.

The dairy industry has been impacted by overtime labor rules, rigorous permitting processes and the shortage of water. As a result, cows are migrating toward areas like South Dakota, who has seen tremendous growth.

The Coca-Cola Company has announced its plans to build a new fairlife production facility located in Webster, New York.

Recently, NMPF president and CEO, Jim Mulhern, spoke to AgriTalk’s host, Chip Flory, about federal milk marketing orders. NMPF has requested a national hearing to amend five pricing provisions under the FMMO.

It's hard to just pick one cookie when it comes to ordering Girl Scout cookies. And it’s hard to find a better combo than cookies and milk. This inspired Girl Scouts of Western Washington and Darigold to team up.

A manufacturer of Italian cheese, Grande Cheese Company announced earlier this week that it has acquired the former Foremost Farms cheese plant in Chilton, Wis., which will further enhance its manufacturing capabilities.

Prairie Farms Dairy announced the promotion of Chris Hackman as its Chief Operating Officer. Hackman currently serves as Senior Vice President of Operations, and will succeed Gary Aggus, who has served as COO since 2006.

An Oregon-based, top-shelf ice cream company has acquired a former Prairie Farms plant with plans to expand in the Midwest and East.

Celebrating 25 years, Dairy Farmers of America, held its annual meeting on March 21 in Kansas City, Mo. Coming off a strong financial 2022, the largest dairy cooperative is committed to work together for future success.

The February 2023 USDA Milk Production report showed an 0.8% increase in year-over-year milk production with a total of 17.7 billion lbs. of milk. Also following suit, U.S. cow numbers also documented growth.

Producers and consumer brands, such as Nestlé and Starbucks, gather round to brew sustainable solutions.

Agri-Mark Chairman of the Board, James “Cricket” Jacquier, announced that David Lynn has been named President and CEO of the cooperative ensuring a seamless leadership transition.

Seizing opportunities ahead and navigating challenges, Michael Dykes, the president and CEO of the International Dairy Foods Association (IDFA) sees the glass full—optimistic about IDFA’s new vision for dairy.

Kemps is introducing Kemps Smooth Cottage Cheese for kids, a new cottage cheese with no curds and a smooth and creamy texture.

From labor to rising feed costs, to regulations —the challenges that face dairy farmers are far from small. Three young dairy producers shared their takes on challenges and opportunities that they are presented with.