. WWW M -Jitwi AlB-Lancaster Fanning, Saturday, June 28, 1997 fCMPA, MMI, Reach Milk Supply, Marketing Arrangement STRONGSVILLE, Ohi® Two north central dairy coopera tives are building a “co-op to co op” relationship that will improve milk supply, market balancing, and manufacturing efficiencies between the two organizations in Michigan and Indiana. In a joint statement today, the leaders of Milk Marketing Inc., (MMI) of Strongsville, Ohio and Independent Cooperative Milk Producers Association, (ICMPA) of Grand Rapids, Michigan announced an arrangement which includes a milk supply agreement and the sale of ICMPA’s Kalama zoo Creamery* Company opera tions and assets to MMI. ‘This is a win-win situation for the members of both dairy cooperatives,” says Don Schriver, MMl’s executive vice president and CEO. “MMI and ICMPA were faced with the same industry challenges a smaller dairy pro ducer base, declining milk sup plies, harsh and unpredictable price swings, larger customers, and fiece competition for market share. It made economic and marketing sense to work together to reduce costs and to maximize efficiencies for our dairy farmer members.” The plan calls for an exchange of resources and capabilities. According to the long-term agree ments, ICMPA will close its Kala mazoo, Michigan butter and con densed milk operation, which is used primarily as a balancing facility to process surplus milk. MMI will purchase the plant’s 9.5-24 4 ply $105.00 11.2- 4 ply $109.00 12.4- 4 ply $142.00 14.9- 4 ply $186.00 14.9- 6 ply $200.00 16.9- 6 ply $237.00 16.9- 8 ply $312.00 11.2- 4 ply $142.00 12.4- 4 ply $132.00 13.6- 4 ply $149.00 13.6- 6 ply $166.00 14.9- 4 ply $194.00 14.9- 6 ply $212.00 16.9- 6 ply $257.00 16.9- 6 ply $244.00 18.4- 6 ply $347.00 18.4- 8 ply $358.00 16.9- 6 ply $281.00 18.4- 6 ply $308.00 18.4- 8 ply $377.00 13.6- 4 ply $211.00 13.6- 6 ply $234.00 i 15.5-38 6 ply $218.00 16.9- 6 ply $330.00 16.9- 8 ply $378.00 18.4- 6 ply $320.00 18.4- 8 ply $347.00 24 Hour farm tire service Front Tractor & Wagon Tires. Exide Batteries Low - Low Prices Call us first & save 1-800-437-4961 JOE’S BATTERY & TIRE 2225 UNION BLVD. ALLENTOWN, PA 18103 assets, and move the ICMPA mik supply to MMl’s Dairy Farm Pro ducts plant in Goshen, Indiana. The Goshen facility will perform the all-important balancing func tion for both organizations. The Kalamazoo assets will be trans ferred by August 1, 1997. Charles Courtade, general man ager, ICMPA. agrees that the rela tionship will be beneficial to the farmer-members of both organiz taions. “After thoroughly studying the situation, ICMPA’s board of directors unanimously agreed to this long-term relationship,” says Courtrade; “The positive impact this will have on our ability to market milk for the highest return to member-producers was the driving force behind the board’s decision.” Under the arrangement, ICM PA and MMI will work together on milk supply needs, mutually FIDELITY TRU-GRIP FARM TIRES strengthen the ability to efficiently balance supplies when there’s too much milk in the marketplace, reduce the costly overhead of run ning two balancing facilities in the same market area, and help to sta bilize member incomes. “It made no sense to continue duplicating efforts. MMI was balancing milk in Goshen; just across the state line, ICMPA was doing the same in Kalamzoo,” says Courtrade. “Why run two plants when one would to the job? This arrangement is logical. ICM PA members get a stable market for their milk, and access to a balancing facility. MMI gets a year-round milk supply to maxim ize the capacity and potential of its Goshen operations.” From a geographic standpoint, the businesses collaboration makes sense. ICMPA and MMI are located closely to similar JULY 26, 1997 A Special Section Recognizing The Northeast Dairy Farm Beautification Annual Winners For 1997 SPECIAL SUMMER ISSUES markets and milk supply areas, dairy cooperative that ICMPA markets and processes processes milk for its 700 iry milk for 700 dairy producers in the producer members in thestateot state of Michigan. MMI repre- Michigan Last year ICMPA sents 7,500 producers in 11 states, marketed 965 million pounds of including Michigan’s southern tip. milk. f “This is an exciting cooperative With of arrangement If cooperatives are XkeStal is L ion’s Airf to maximize returns to their dauy MarteJ & producer-owned farmer-owners, they must pursue larges * . * , relationships like this to increase cooperative and ® efficiencies for members in the dauy P roc “ :.. movement and marketing of their •£, farm’families milk,” says Schriver. “It’s just that s f 7 ; 500 /^ i mi. _ a „ mil states (Ohio, Indiana, ren simple. MMI and ICMPA share a . j Kentucky, Maryland, common vision of working M f chigan> New Yo ri West Virgi together to maximize returns to Massachuesetts. Vermont and theti farm families. Delaware) process and market d iA r L nd a -V r bOlioo pen., of jK r iune^m Advertisement Deadline - Thursday, July 17 G PROGRESS Pre-Show Exhibitors And Dairy Features AUGUST 9, 1997 Advertisement Due Thursday, July 31, 1997 DAYS
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers