Seventeen Michigan Milk Producers Association (MMPA) member farms were awarded National Dairy Quality Awards, making up over a third of the total winners. The MMPA members made up over one third of the 46 nationally recognized farms in the annual award program. One platinum award, seven gold awards and nine silver awards were earned by MMPA members.
MMPA’s large representation in the National Dairy Quality Awards underscores the hard work of the cooperative’s farms while competing against other well-performing farmers across the country. National Dairy Quality Award winners will be recognized today at the annual National Mastitis Council meeting held this week in Tucson, Arizona.
“Congratulations to our member farms being recognized through the National Dairy Quality Awards program. Attaining consistent milk quality at this level results from proactively doing the ‘right’ things for animal health and comfort day in and day out,” says Dean Letter, MMPA Director of Member Services. “High milk quality and animal care results from a proactive commitment to do the right thing every time, every day.”
MMPA offers a portfolio of member services to help members produce the highest quality milk possible, with field representatives working closely with each member to achieve quality goals. MMPA also offers a quality premium incentive for its members producing higher quality milk. In 2017, MMPA paid out $17.7 million to members in quality premiums.
The winners were selected from a pool of applicants nationwide. The winning operations stood out for having produced high-quality milk consistently. Applications were evaluated for measures of quality, systems of monitoring udder health, milking routine, protocols for detection and treatment of clinical and subclinical cases of mastitis and strategies for overall herd health and welfare. MMPA winners were nominated by their member representatives.
Platinum Award
- Larry and Paulette Werth, Jeremy Werth and Paul Werth, Alpena, Michigan
Gold Awards
- Don Beattie, Holton, Michigan
- Brad, Mark and Larry Crandall, Battle Creek, Michigan
- Gordon Dick, McBain, Michigan
- Brad and Debbie Kartes, West Branch, Michigan
- Brent Simon, Westphalia, Michigan
- Ken, Duane, Anna and Laurie VanPolen, Marion, Michigan
- Douglas Warner, Charlevoix, Michigan
Silver Awards
- Karl Bontrager, Wolcottville, Indiana
- Michael Bosscher, McBain, Michigan
- Norm and Mark Buning, Falmouth, Michigan
- Harley and Marietta Lambright, LeRoy, Michigan
- William Pirman, Skandia, Michigan
- Jerry and Sharron Powers, Pentwater, Michigan
- Mark and Bob Rau, West Branch, Michigan
- Allen and Aaron Slater, Holton, Michigan
- Ken and Carol Tebos, Falmouth, Michigan
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Michigan Milk Producers Association, established in 1916, is a member-owned and controlled milk-marketing cooperative serving approximately 1,700 dairy farmers in Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin and Ohio.
Source: Michigan Milk Producers Association
