Fifty-eight MMPA members were recognized as 35-year members at the 99th MMPA State Annual Delegate Meeting, March 19, 2015. MMPA President Ken Nobis congratulated and praised the members for their dedication to the cooperative."We commend you for your dedication and loyalty to MMPA and the dairy industry over the last 35 years," Nobis affirmed as he awarded each member with a plaque.
A video presentation showcased the vast changes the Michigan dairy industry has undergone the past 35 years since these members began dairy farming.
The presentation highlighted that in 1980, when these members joined MMPA, the average milk price was just $12.55 per hundredweight; in fiscal year 2014, the average price was $23.82 per hundredweight. There were 4,859 MMPA members in 1980 who marketed a total of 3.26 billion pounds of milk. Today, MMPA has approximately 2,000 members and marketed over 4.44 billion pounds of milk in the 2014 fiscal year.
Most notably, the average producer shipped 684,528 pounds of milk in 1980 compared to the average member's shipment last year of nearly 3.6 million pounds of milk.
Michigan Milk Producers Association is a member owned and controlled milk marketing cooperative serving approximately 2,000 dairy farmers in Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin and Ohio.
MMPA members recognized for 35 years with the co-op include:
Adrian Local
Gary Stout
Alma Local
Jerry Emmons
Edmun Koutz
Martin Koutz
Jon Oberlin
Curtis Oberlin
Eric Oberlin
Richard Walkington
Blossomland Local
William Gamble
Clare-Mt. Pleasant Local
Erma Kleinhardt
Richard Kleinhardt
Timothy Kleinhardt
Jerry Varner
Constantine Local
Clyde Miller
Evart Local
Roger Aris
Duane & Janet Molhoek
Flint Local
Kenneth Kern
Frankenmuth Local
Randy Keinath
Larry Schumacher
William Schumacher
Hillman Local
Edward McKinnon
Patrick & Laurie Purol
Galen Schalk
Hillsdale-Litchfield Local
Douglas Smith
Mark Smith
Huron Local
Alvin Gnagey
Ingham County Local
Michael Curtis
Larry Steffey
Jackson County Plus Local
Rick Surbrook
Kalamazoo Local
Ralph Fusco
Charles Wamhoff
Lansing Local
Eric Sederlund
Livingston Charter Local
Gordon Kingsley
Mid-Michigan Local
Richard Scriba
Larry Simon
Mid-Sanilac
Mark Draher
John Szymanski, Sr.
Mid-Thumb Local
Robert Blumerich
Bill Blumerich
Mark Falker
Robert Dale
Gleason David Spencer
James Spencer
Muskegon Local
Robert Herremans
Ralph Lundberg
Owosso Local
Edward Braid
Thomas Braid
Matthew Dutcher
David Reed
Dennis Reed
Kenneth Reed
Martin Reed
Patrick Reed
Stephen Reed
Saline-Ann Arbor Local
Edward Mamarow, Jr.
Upstate Local
Ronald Schaub
West Michigan Local
Lynn Huff
Philip Kuyers
4.2.2015