Larsen Farms Receives Recognition for Partnership with Local Food Pantry
July 2, 2025 | 3 min to read
NOVI, Mich. — The Michigan Milk Producers Association (MMPA) is pleased to announce Larsen Farms of Scottville, Michigan as the first recipient of the MMPA Food Bank Legacy Award.
As longtime supporters of their community and local food pantry, the Larsen family has consistently demonstrated a deep commitment to fighting food insecurity. Several years ago, they secured a grant to purchase a stand-up cooler for Caritas Food Pantry, enabling them to donate milk weekly and volunteer their time to support pantry operations.
“Larsen Farms exemplifies what it means to be a good neighbor and a dedicated dairy farmer. Their consistent efforts to support their local food bank shows how impactful it can be when farms give back to their communities,” said Doug Chapin, MMPA Board Chairman. “It’s an honor to recognize the Larsen family with the first Legacy Award in recognition of their partnership with their local food pantry.”
Larsen Farms, established in 1957, has been a cornerstone of their community and dairy industry, with the Larsen’s commitment to serving their community and supporting those in need.
“This recognition will help us continue our weekly milk deliveries to our local food pantry, ensuring that those in need have access to the goodness of milk,” said Lindsay Bliss, daughter of Lisa and Burke Larsen. “We truly enjoy working with our local food pantry not only to give back, but also to connect with our community and share the nutritional benefits of milk. We feel incredibly blessed to witness the full journey of a gallon of milk from our farm to the families that need it most.”
In 2023, in honor of past MMPA Board President Ken Nobis, who played a critical role in establishing the original partnership, the MMPA Board of Directors and the Food Bank Council of Michigan (FBCM) created a Legacy Award. This award builds upon MMPA’s existing outreach efforts, expanding support from dairy community events to youth development programs and local food banks. Since 2015, MMPA has donated more than 1.4 million gallons of milk.
“What the Larsen family does for Caritas Food Pantry may seem small to some, but to those families who receive the fresh milk it is huge,” said Phil Knight, Executive Director, FBCM. “A huge investment into the lives of the children who now have access to food they want and need. Thank you to the Larsen family and to the people who lead Caritas Food Pantry, you all give the rest of us hope and inspiration that we can take hunger off the table!”
Annually, an MMPA member will be recognized for their efforts in supporting their local Michigan food bank. The recipient will have the opportunity to designate a $1,000 contribution to the food pantry they work with to help combat food insecurity.
About Michigan Milk Producers Association (MMPA)
The Michigan Milk Producers Association (MMPA) is a member-owned and operated milk marketing cooperative known for producing high-quality, award-winning dairy products. Established in 1916, MMPA is the 9th largest U.S. dairy farmer-owned cooperative serving members in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and Wisconsin. At MMPA, commitment to milk quality begins on the farm and extends through all four of their SQF version 9.0 certified processing facilities: a cheese plant in Indiana, a dairy product plant in Ohio and two dairy ingredient plants in Michigan.