Author: Emily Kittendorf

Michigan dairy farmer Ashley Kennedy, a member of the Michigan Milk Producers Association (MMPA), testified on behalf of MMPA and the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) at the Senate Agriculture Committee’s first hearing dedicated to the upcoming Farm Bill, the twice-a-decade reauthorization of all USDA programs.

“I couldn’t have come back to the family farm if it were not for many of these programs,” said Kennedy, whose family milks 240 cows in east-central Michigan, at the field hearing held Friday at Michigan State University in East Lansing. “Being a part of the conversation is essential to see a future that reflects opportunity and success.”

Addressing Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), who presided over the hearing, Kennedy discussed her perspective as a third-generation farmer on the successes and shortcomings of current dairy policies and programs Congress must address in the next reauthorization. Kennedy thanked the committee, and Chairwoman Stabenow in particular, for overhauling the dairy safety net during the last farm bill and providing producers with access to crop insurance-like risk management tools, which puts dairy farmers on par with producers of other commodities.

Kennedy praised the Dairy Margin Coverage program as “essential to our farm and family’s financial success last year” and called attention to recent improvements that accounted for modest production increases and better reflect dairy farmer feed costs.

Still, the lessons of the COVID-19 pandemic for the dairy sector in Michigan and nationwide need to be incorporated into the next reauthorization of federal farm programs, she said in her written testimony. The effects of federal programs on milk pricing deserve special attention, she said. “The combined effects of the change made to the Class I mover in the last farm bill, and the government’s heavy cheese purchases, cost dairy farmers over $750 million in Class I skim revenue during the last six months of 2020.”

The dairy industry, under NMPF leadership, is seeking consensus on a range of improvements to the Federal Milk Marketing Order system, including but not limited to the Class I mover, that can be taken to the U.S. Department of Agriculture for consideration in a national order hearing.

Beyond economic policy, Kennedy also advocated for additional investments in conservation programs to help dairy farmers build on their ongoing sustainability work; urged a doubling of funding for key trade promotion programs; and spoke to the importance of farm bill nutrition programs as “the bedrock of linking the food we produce as farmers to households across the country.”

Kennedy closed by offering a personal take on the need for significant mental health policy in the farm bill. “Stress in rural America is not talked about enough, which is unfortunate, because it’s a problem we can only solve by working together.” Kennedy thanked the committee for reauthorizing the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network in the last farm bill but urged that even more robust resources be provided.

The Senate Agriculture Committee is expected to hold an additional field hearing in Arkansas, the home state of Ranking Republican John Boozman, in the coming weeks.

The Michigan Milk Producers Association–established in 1916–is a member-owned and operated milk marketing cooperative and dairy processor serving dairy farmers throughout Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio and Indiana. In addition to a cheese plant in Indiana and a dairy product plant in Ohio, MMPA operates two SQF Level 3 dairy ingredient plants in Michigan, producing butter, nonfat dry milk powder, condensed skim milk, cream and whole milk powder.

LANSING, Mich.—Michigan Milk Producers Association (MMPA) delegates gathered in Lansing, Michigan on March 24 to conduct official business during MMPA’s 106^th Annual Delegate Meeting. Over 200 attendees, including members and employees, heard from MMPA leadership and industry partners on how MMPA is taking charge of change, this year’s meeting theme.

MMPA board chairman Doug Chapin reflected on the prior year, showcasing how the MMPA board of directors guided the cooperative in line with taking charge of change. “An area where your association has taken charge of change is in the purchase of Superior Dairy on December 31, 2021,” he said. “It was the culmination of years of working together and every time we met it was to discuss how we could win by working together.”

Joe Diglio, MMPA president and CEO, expanded on the acquisition of Superior Dairy in Canton, Ohio, describing how taking charge of change begins with aligning in a vision. “It isn’t just one person’s strategy that makes us successful, it’s a team of people that believe in the direction and help accomplish our desired outcome,” he said. “We are excited about our opportunities in front of us and look forward to taking charge of change together.”

MMPA Treasurer Eric Frahm presented the financial status of the cooperative and reported on a strong balance sheet with annual net savings in fiscal year 2021 of $4.3 million. MMPA recently paid out $1.1 million in cash patronage refunds to its dairy farmer members, representing twenty-five percent of the net savings with the remaining non-cash balance allocated to certificates of equity to be revolved back to members in future years.

Business conducted by the delegates included the adoption of the 2021 MMPA resolutions and election of MMPA member Bruce Benthem of McBain, Mich. to his first at-large term on the board of directors and the reelection of Aaron Gasper of Lowell, Mich. to the board of directors. Both Benthem and Gasper will serve three-year terms on the board of directors.

In the board reorganizational meeting held at the conclusion of the delegate meeting, the following officers were reelected: Doug Chapin as board chairman, Tony Jandernoa as board vice chairman and Eric Frahm as treasurer.

The annual meeting proceedings also involved recognition of several MMPA members including Kip and Rochelle Siegler of Imlay City, Mich. as the 2021 Outstanding Young Dairy Cooperators (OYDC), Nolan Wieber, of Fowler, Mich. as the OYDC Runner-up and all the 2021 OYDC finalists. Koppenol Dairy Farms were also recognized as MMPA’s Top Quality Award Winner. They achieved the best quality records in 2021 among all MMPA farms. Along with a plaque from MMPA, the Koppenols received a $250 gift certificate for the MMPA Farm Supply Store from Ecolab.

Chapin recognized 16 individuals holding MMPA membership for 35 years. He honored these individuals for their commitment and hard work to the dairy industry and MMPA. Each 35-year member was presented with a plaque. MMPA also recognized members with over 50 years of MMPA membership with the MMPA Milestone Award. Five individuals were recognized with this award and were presented with a plaque at the meeting.

The Michigan Milk Producers Association–established in 1916–is a member-owned and operated milk marketing cooperative and dairy processor serving dairy farmers throughout Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio and Indiana. In addition to a cheese plant in Indiana and a dairy product plant in Ohio, MMPA operates two SQF Level 3 dairy ingredient plants in Michigan, producing butter, nonfat dry milk powder, condensed skim milk, cream and whole milk powder.