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HistoryToday, Foremost Farms USA ranks among the top 10 largest dairy cooperatives in the United States in terms of milk volume. It is also the 14th largest cheese producer in the world (source: Rabobank International, April 2002). We take great pride in successfully upholding the quality and integrity our dairy farmer members have worked so long to maintain. And, we are building upon that strong foundation every day. While Foremost Farms USA is a relatively new company, the dairy cooperatives that are now a part of Foremost Farms USA come from a rich tradition decades long, with some dating back to the 1890s. Wisconsin Dairies Cooperative, Baraboo, Wis., and Golden Guernsey Dairy Cooperative, Milwaukee, Wis., consolidated Jan. 1, 1995, to create Foremost Farms USA. The consolidation of these two cooperatives into Foremost Farms USA was unique in the dairy industry. Both cooperatives were financially sound, with effective member-owner programs. They had efficient operations and marketing programs along with complementary product lines and service, and procurement areas. Foremost Farms acquired the Morning Glory Farms Region of Associated Milk Producers, Inc., on Dec. 1, 1995. Wisconsin Dairies CooperativeWisconsin Dairies Cooperative, based in Baraboo, was the result of a combination of 38 individual dairy organizations, some of which started operating as early as the late 1890s. In 1963, Wisconsin Creamery Company Cooperative, Sauk City, Wis., and Wisconsin Cooperative Creamery Association, Union Center, Wis., consolidated to form Wisconsin Dairies Cooperative. Between 1945 and 1962, 14 local cooperative creameries merged with these two parent organizations. Since 1983, Wisconsin Dairies grew through 23 mergers and acquisitions. Today, the Foremost Farms USA headquarters for 24 facilities is located in Baraboo. Golden Guernsey Dairy CooperativeGolden Guernsey Dairy Cooperative was founded in Milwaukee, Wis., in 1930. By 1936, the cooperative had grown from one home-delivery route with 85 customers to 85 routes with 20,000 home-delivery customers. It continued to grow and produce milk packaged in cartons for store delivery, phasing out home delivery in the late 1960s. Today, we package milk and related products for the GG Golden Guernsey Dairy trademark brand at our facility in Waukesha, Wis. Morning Glory Farms RegionThe Morning Glory Farms Region, with members and operations in Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Michigan, was the result of a merger of Morning Glory Farms Cooperative and Mid-States AMPI in 1986. Both of these organizations had grown through numerous mergers and acquisitions with major ones being Pure Milk Association, Chicago, Ill.; Pure Milk Producers Cooperative, Fond du Lac, Wis.; Madison Milk Producers, Madison, Wis.; and Central Indiana Dairymen's Association, Indianapolis, Ind. Morning Glory Farms Cooperative was organized as Consolidated Badger in Shawano County, Wis., in 1931. Today, we package milk and related products for the Morning Glory trademark brand at our facility in De Pere, Wis. |
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