GRAPEVINE, Texas – The National Milk Producers Federation welcomed four new dairy cooperative members, two new board members and one new board officer, as the organization wrapped up its 2014 annual meeting here Wednesday.
Also at the meeting, guest speaker Tom Vilsack, the U.S. Agriculture Secretary, shown at right, told attendees that the USDA is extending by one week the deadline for farmers to enroll in the new Margin Protection Program. The previous deadline, November 28, will be moved back to Friday, December 5th, to ensure that dairy producers have time after the Thanksgiving weekend to sign up for the new dairy safety net. NMPF had asked USDA to consider an extension, because November 28 is “Black Friday.”
The new cooperative members are Bongards’ Creameries, Norwood, Minnesota; Cortland Bulk Milk Producers Cooperative, Cortland, New York; Mount Joy Farmers Cooperative Association, Mount Joy, Pennsylvania, and Oneida-Madison Milk Producers Cooperative Association, Sherrill, New York.
These new members bring the number of dairy cooperatives in NMPF to 31. NMPF members market the majority of the milk produced in the United States, making NMPF the voice of more than 32,000 dairy producers on Capitol Hill and with government agencies.
The two new NMPF board members are Michael Doyle, president and CEO of Foremost Farms USA in Baraboo, Wisconsin, and Scot Meyer, board member of Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery, Ellsworth, Wisconsin. In addition, board member Keith Murfield, CEO of United Dairymen of Arizona, was elected to serve as secretary of the organization.
In addition, NMPF recognized six outgoing board members for their service to the organization and presented the NMPF Political Action Committee Award to board member Dan Senestraro of Dairy Farmers of America.
The six outgoing board members receiving certificates of appreciation were William Blalock, Cooperative Milk Producers Association; Albert Knegendorf, Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery; Dennis Donohue, FarmFirst Dairy Cooperative; David Newhouse, Farmers Cooperative Creamery; Dave Fuhrmann, Foremost Farms USA; and Donald DeJong, Select Milk Producers.
In other NMPF annual meeting news, a provolone made by Dairy Farmers of America in its Turlock, California, processing plant was received the top award, known as the Chairman’s Plaque, in the 2014 NMPF cheese competition. Complete cheese contest results are on the NMPF website.
The 2014 NMPF Communicator of the Year award was presented to Michelle Carter, communications specialist with Northwest Dairy Association/Darigold in Seattle.
The incoming 2015 Young Cooperator council elected its leadership for the upcoming year. Brian and Carrie Preston, Michigan Milk Producers Association, were chosen to serve as the YC Chaircouple. Tommy and Anna Watkins, Southeast Milk, will serve as the Vice Chaircouple, and Donald and Bernadette Harwood, Upstate Niagara Cooperative, will be the Secretary Couple.
The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF), based in Arlington, VA, develops and carries out policies that advance the well being of dairy producers and the cooperatives they own. The members of NMPF’s cooperatives produce the majority of the U.S. milk supply, making NMPF the voice of more than 32,000 dairy producers on Capitol Hill and with government agencies. For more on NMPF’s activities, visit our website at www.nmpf.org.
Source: The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF)
