Merging Co-ops Launch Info-Based Facebook Page for Patrons

By CnAgri Print

Dairy farm patrons of the three Wisconsin-based milk cooperatives that are considering a merger early next year can now get more information about the process online. The managers of Family Dairies USA, Manitowoc Milk Producers Cooperative and Milwaukee Cooperative Milk Producers have created a Facebook page called 'Your Co-Opportunity,' which is designed to answer questions about the proposed consolidation of the three companies.

If approved by a membership vote, the merger would create the largest Midwest dairy marketing co-op called FarmFirst Dairy Cooperative.

Family Dairies General Manager David Cooper says the Facebook page serves as a resource library and communication portal for members of the three cooperatives and interested industry associates to discuss the efficiency and financial and leadership strengths of the combined cooperative. He says informational meetings are also being held by each of the companies over the next several weeks before the entire membership votes on the proposal in mid-December.

"We encourage every member to attend one of the information meetings hosted by each cooperative to learn about the benefits that the proposed merger will provide to our members," Cooper said. "If members cannot attend one of the meetings, they can visit our new Facebook page to have questions answered and to discuss the proposal with other dairy producers."

Members of the three cooperatives are asked to cast their vote via mail-in ballot before December 17. If the merger passes, the new, combined cooperative will begin business function January 1.

The newly created FarmFirst Dairy Cooperative would be headquartered in Madison and would have 20 directors within nine districts made up of seven existing board members from Family Dairies, seven from MMPC and six from Milwaukee Milk.

There will also be two main divisions of the company: lab testing, which is currently operated by Milwaukee Milk's Fox Valley Quality Control Lab in Nenah; and the Family Dairies' milk program, which specializes in marketing milk products throughout Wisconsin and Michigan.

Cooper says the new group will serve around 5,100 patrons and 30 individual dairy plants.