Foremost Farms is proud to announce that it received four awards in the National Milk Producers Federation’s 2026 Cooperative Communications Contest, earning recognition alongside some of the largest dairy cooperatives in the country.
The annual contest highlights excellence in communications across the dairy cooperative industry and attracted 108 entries from 10 member cooperatives this year. Foremost Farms was recognized alongside leading dairy cooperatives including Dairy Farmers of America (DFA), Land O’Lakes, Associated Milk Producers Inc. (AMPI), Michigan Milk Producers Association (MMPA) and Prairie Farms.
The award-winning projects highlighted the many ways Foremost Farms shares the stories of its employees, members and cooperative impact through employee communications, documentary storytelling, photography and sustainability reporting.
Foremost Farms received three second-place awards:
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- Employee Publication: May 2026 Employee Newsletter
Launched in March 2026, the monthly employee newsletter was created to connect and inform employees across Foremost Farms. Featuring employee recognition, operational updates, member stories and cooperative news, the publication helps strengthen engagement and connection across locations, departments and roles. - Documentary Video: Empowering Growth: Inside Foremost Farms’ Learning & Development Team
Created to spotlight one of the many teams working behind the scenes at Foremost Farms, this documentary-style video introduced employees to the Learning & Development team and the resources they provide to help employees learn, grow and succeed throughout their careers. - Smartphone Photography: Heart of the Herd
Originally shared on Foremost Farms’ Facebook page and later featured in the inaugural employee newsletter, Heart of the Herd was part of a Valentine’s Day-themed communication celebrating the people and passion behind our cooperative. The image captured a simple but meaningful moment that resonated with employees and audiences alike while reinforcing appreciation, connection and company culture.
- Employee Publication: May 2026 Employee Newsletter
Foremost Farms also received a third-place award for:
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- Single Issue/Special Purpose Publication: 2024 Responsible Dairy Report
The 2024 Responsible Dairy Report was designed to transparently share Foremost Farms’ sustainability strategy, commitments and progress with members, customers, employees and industry partners. Through data, storytelling and real-world examples, the report showcases how the cooperative is advancing environmental stewardship, supporting communities and creating long-term value for member farm families while producing high-quality dairy products.
- Single Issue/Special Purpose Publication: 2024 Responsible Dairy Report
For the Foremost Farms’ Communications team, these awards reflect not only the quality of the work produced, but also the collaboration and support received across the cooperative.
“Connection is at the heart of a cooperative, and communications help strengthen it,” said Courtney Cantwell, Director of Communications for Foremost Farms. “By sharing the stories of our employees and members, we help people better understand each other’s contributions and the share purpose behind our work. These awards celebrate that collaboration and what we can accomplish together.”
These awards reflect Foremost Farms’ ongoing commitment to sharing authentic stories that highlight the people, partnerships and values that drive the cooperative’s success. Through employee communications, member storytelling and sustainability reporting, Foremost Farms continues to foster connection, transparency and engagement across the dairy community.
View the full list of contest winners here.
Heart of the Herd
Photo Credit: Hailey Koller, Communications Specialist