Last dairy standing

DeVelder retires from AMPI

By Jan Lefebvre jan.l@star-pub.com

NEW ULM, Minn. –Associated Milk Producers Inc. was part of Donn DeVelder’s life even before he began his career there in 1984.

“I was raised on a dairy farm near Corsica, South Dakota,” DeVelder said. “My father was manager of the local creamery, which merged with the newly formed AMPI in the early 1970s.”

DeVelder retired this month from his position as co-president and CEO of AMPI. Sheryl Meshke, who has been co-president and CEO with DeVelder since 2015, was selected by the cooperative’s board of directors to continue as sole president and CEO.

“The dairy farmer-owners and employees of AMPI benetted from nearly four decades of Donn’s steady, consistent leadership,” Meshke said.

Steve Schlangen serves as chairman of the board for AMPI.

“Donn has been an absolute trouper his whole career, always willing to step up for any challenge and never forgetting where he came from,” Schlangen said. “I would take Donn on my team any day; he makes everyone around him better.”

Farmers from Mizpah persevere in Koochiching County

By Jan Lefebvre jan.l@star-pub.com

Editor’s note: This is the rst story in a series highlighting families who are the last dairy farm to operate within their respective counties across our coverage area. Dairy Star hopes to shed light on the industry’s landscape surrounding these farms and how these isolated farms thrive.

MIZPAH, Minn. – Running the last dairy farm in Koochiching County requires dedication and independence.

“We’re very self-sufcient here,” Scott Albrecht said. “We keep a lot of extra parts on