NOVI, Mich.–Members and adult leaders of 4-H clubs and FFA chapters from several Michigan counties gathered at Michigan Milk Producers Association (MMPA) headquarters in Novi, June 25-26 for the 77th Annual 4-H/MMPA Milk Marketing Tour.
This year’s attendees included: Jacob Arens of Portland, Lance Frahm of Frankenmuth, Lauren Heberling of Carsonville, Rachel Hicks of St. Johns, Matt Horning of Carsonville, Josh Lanning of Whittemore, Josh Markel of Westphalia, Jackson Martin of Westphalia, Madeline Meyer of Ionia, Grace Norden of Napoleon, Ohio, Sasha Platte of Portland, Cassidy Polzin of Saline and Olivia Richmond of Lowell.
The two-day conference, co-sponsored by MMPA and Michigan State University Extension, is the longest running 4-H tour in existence with over 4,000 students having participated. The focus of the tour is to educate students about milk marketing principles as well as the duties and operations of a dairy cooperative.
A wide range of dairy-related topics was presented by MMPA’s president, general manager and other MMPA staff members during the tour. The students learned how milk is processed through a dairy plant and afterward visited Michigan Dairy in Livonia where they could see firsthand what happens to milk after it leaves the farm. For many of the students, this was their first formal exposure to cooperatives and their vital role in milk marketing. Courtney Heisler of Springport and Libby Venema of Deford chaired the event, both participants from last year’s tour.
MMPA is a member owned and operated dairy cooperative serving approximately 2,000 dairy farm families throughout Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio and Indiana.