NOVI, Mich.–Twelve MMPA members were awarded National Dairy Quality Awards, including 50 percent of all gold awards. These MMPA members were among 44 nationally recognized farms in the annual award program. One platinum award, nine gold awards and two silver awards were earned by MMPA members.
“Our member-owners do their best each day to produce the highest quality milk possible,” Joe Diglio, MMPA General Manager said. “The 12 farms presented with a National Dairy Quality Award demonstrates the superior quality of our members’ milk and each farm’s dedication and commitment to excellence. We are proud to see their accomplishments recognized on a national level.”
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. Over the last five years, quality premium payments rose 37 percent.
MMPA’s large representation in the National Dairy Quality Awards underscores the hard work of the cooperative’s farms while competing against other well-preforming farmers across the country.
“The vast majority of dairy farmers produce high-quality milk. But, as with most endeavors, there’s ‘good’ and then there’s ‘great,’” wrote Corey Geiger, managing editor of Hoard’s Dairyman in an article about the award program. “It’s those ‘great’ herds that recently were recognized by the National Mastitis Council (NMC) through its National Dairy Quality Awards program.”
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.
The Platinum Quality Award winners were honored today during the National Mastitis Council annual meeting in St. Pete Beach, Florida.
The following MMPA members received awards.
Platinum Award
- Larry, Therese, Brent and Emily Simon, Westphalia, Michigan
Gold Awards
- Don Beattie, Holton, Michigan
- Harold and Ruth Ann Dodd, Falmouth, Michigan
- Randy and Cindy Dragt, Howard City, Michigan
- Brad and Debbie Kartes, West Branch, Michigan
- Ryan Litwiller, Middleton, Michigan
- William and Kimberly Pirman, Skandia, Michigan
- Robert and Mark Rau, West Branch, Michigan
- Ken and Duane VanPolen, Marion, Michigan
- Doug, Jake and Andrew Wirth, Evart, Michigan
Silver Awards
- Michael Bosscher, McBain, Michigan
- Rod, Lynn, Chris Daniels, Luke and Audrey Bischoff, Whittemore, Michigan
Michigan Milk Producers Association, established in 1916, is a member-owned and controlled milk-marketing cooperative serving approximately 2,000 dairy farmers in Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin and Ohio.