Keeping glasses filled

Dairy Field, Jun 2003 by Sheehan, Kelly M

Top 50 co-ops handle 76 percent of the nation's milk.

The nation's top 50 cooperatives marketed 131.1 billion pounds of milk last year, down slightly from 2000. This accounted for nearly 76 percent of the 165.3 billion pounds of milk produced in 2001.

Although the ranks of the top five cooperatives remained the same, Foremost Farms USA dropped from sixth place to eighth this year.

Consistently holding the No 1. position since its formation in 1998, Dairy Farmers of America (DFA) continues to dominate. With 15,133 farms shipping 34.5 billion pounds, DFA members produced about 21 percent of the nation's milk while handling another 11.1 billion pounds of non-member milk.

At No. 2 on the list, California Dairies Inc. continues to grow, with 3 percent more member milk marketed than the previous year. Also, Continental Dairy Products Inc. edged out Select Milk Producers this year for the most milk per farm with 52 million pounds per dairy.

Independent Dairymen's Cooperative, the only rookie on the Top 50 list, debuted at 46th. Also, reappearing was Country Classic Dairies Inc. at 50th. Last year, the co-op just missed out by ranking 51st.

These new additions pushed out Northwest Independent Milk Producers and Hastings Cooperative Creamery, which occupied last year's 44th and 50th spots.

In July, Black Hills Milk Producers voted to merge with Dairy Farmers of America. Rapid City, S.D.-based Black Hills markets 70 million pounds of milk annually for its 43 members in western South Dakota and just missed making the list this year. This merger, which took place September 1, will only strengthen DFA's chances of keeping the top position on next year's list.

Information for the Top 50 Co-op List is provided to Hoard's Dairyman by the cooperatives during the summer. Each cooperative is contacted and asked to provide the previous year's information. (Since some co-ops end their fiscal year on a date other than December 31, milk volume and member farms may not necessarily represent the 2001 calendar year.)