MEMBERS of three Wisconsin dairy cooperatives last week voted to merge, creating the largest dairy cooperative in the Midwest, according to an announcement.
The new entity will be named FarmFirst Dairy Cooperative.
The merger brings together Family Dairies USA in Madison, Wis., which represents 2,300 dairy farmers; Manitowoc Milk Producers Cooperative in Manitowoc, Wis., which represents 2,650 producers, and Milwaukee Cooperative Milk Producers in Brookfield, Wis., which represents 500 producers.
The merger was announced last month (Feedstuffs, Nov. 12) after unanimous votes of the boards of directors of the three co-ops were approved.
Manitowoc general manager Dennis Donohue will become FarmFirst general manager, and Family Dairies general manager David Cooper and Milwaukee Cooperative general manager will become assistant general manager and director of laboratory services and special projects, respectively.
FarmFirst becomes effective Jan. 1 and will be headquartered in Madison.
The Family Dairies USA Milk Program and Fox Valley Quality Control Laboratory will continue to operate as subsidiaries of FarmFirst.
Volume:84 Issue:53