NEWS & VIEWS

In light of the spread of coronavirus, or COVID-19, MMPA is committed to protecting the health and well-being of our communities, while ensuring we continue to market members’ milk to the greatest advantage possible. As we continue to monitor the situation, MMPA is following recommendations from national and state government agencies, adjusting event schedules, and further sanitizing and securing our locations to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Please refer MMPA’s continued communication through email, social media and the Member Connection for more information as the situation evolves.

MMPA to donate 2,020 pounds of milk per day in 2020 At the recent 104th Annual State Delegate Meeting, MMPA announced a donation of 2,020 pounds of milk per day to the Food Bank Council of Michigan in 2020. A total of over 85,000 gallons of milk, the donation is MMPA’s largest and an effort to support the one out of every seven Michigan residents struggling with hunger. Processing and packaging of the milk was donated by Kroger’s Michigan Dairy plant. In total, MMPA has donated over 333,000 gallons of milk since 2015 to supply food banks across Michigan with fresh milk from MMPA dairy farmer members.

2019 Michigan Dairy Ambassador Scholarship Winners Announced

2020 Michigan Dairy Ambassadors look ahead to a year of dairy promotion

BACKROW (L TO R): IAN BLACK OF EAGLE, MICHIGAN; JONATHAN SAYLES OF BAY CITY, MICHIGAN MIDDLE ROW (L TO R): ANNA MOSER OF DANSVILLE, MICHIGAN; ABBY VANDYK OF KALAMAZOO, MICHIGAN; MADISON HALFMAN OF ST. JOHNS, MICHIGAN FRONT ROW (L TO R): ELYSE ZIMMERLEE OF BELLEVUE, MICHIGAN; BRYNNEN GARDNER OF BELMONT, MICHIGAN; ADALEE THELEN OF ST. JOHNS, MICHIGAN

Six Michigan youth were named Michigan Dairy Ambassadors after gathering at the 2020 Great Lakes Regional Dairy Conference for leadership training, commencing a year of dairy promotion and outreach in Michigan. The program welcomes students in high school and college to hone in on their skills and learn how to communicate about their passion in dairy.

“The Michigan Dairy Ambassador program gives youth with a special interest in dairy the opportunity to connect with consumers and share their ‘dairy story,’” said Jessica Welch, a member of the Dairy Ambassador planning team and MMPA member relations coordinator. “Our goal is to equip each Michigan Dairy Ambassador with the communication skills and tools to represent the dairy community and industry in a positive way.” The Dairy Ambassadors began their year with a day-long leadership training on Feb. 7 in Frankenmuth, Michigan. Led by Welch and Bridget Moore, Industry Relations Specialist at the United Dairy Industry of Michigan, the ambassadors were guided through engagement activities and challenged to try new things such as starting conversations with new people.

Ambassadors will take part in further trainings and represent the dairy industry at promotional and outreach events throughout the year. Next up for the ambassadors is a communications training at UDIM and representation at industry events throughout the year, including Dairy Day at the Capitol, Michigan Livestock Expo Sale‐abration, Michigan 4‐H Dairy Days Awards Banquet, Breakfast on the Farm and the MMPA Leaders’ Conference.

2019 Michigan Dairy Ambassador Scholarship recipients were announced at this year’s recognition night. The senior scholarship was awarded to Brynnen Gardner of Belmont, Michigan and the junior scholarship was awarded to Jonathan Sayles of Bay City, Michigan.

2020 Michigan Dairy Ambassadors

JUNIOR AMBASSADORS Madison Halfman, St. Johns Anna Moser, Dansville Adalee Thelen, St. Johns Abby VanDyk, Kalamazoo Katelynn Webster, Barryton

SENIOR AMBASSADOR Elyse Zimmerlee, Bellevue

Michigan Youth Livestock Scholarships Since 2000, the Michigan Youth Livestock Scholarship Fund (MYLSF) has awarded more than $585,725 in scholarships and educational awards to outstanding youth who have exhibited at the premier livestock events in the state of Michigan. In 2019, there was $38,000 in scholarships awarded.

In 2020, a select number of applicants may be offered an opportunity to be interviewed, at the discretion of the MYLSF, prior to the Sale-Abration event for larger scholarship awards up to $5,000. Specific proceeds from the Michigan Livestock Expo Sale-Abration auction as well as charitable donations help fund the scholarships. The fund is governed by a 10-member board comprised of volunteers from Michigan’s agricultural community.

The 2019 MYLSF scholarship winners were:

$3,500 SCHOLARSHIP: Shannon Good of Caledonia and Cassandra Perrin of Coopersville

$3,000 SCHOLARSHIP: Eric Moser of Dansville

$2,500 SCHOLARSHIP: Morgan Bollinger of Owosso

$2,000 SCHOLARSHIP: Victoria Vining of Sault Sainte Marie

$1,500 SCHOLARSHIP: Kristen Burkhardt of Fowlerville; Payton Hines of Quincy; Lydia Acmoody of Coldwater; Kaleb Bickel of North Branch; Caitlin Henne of Eaton Rapids; Mariah Jansen of Sturgis; Laken Polega of Unionville; and Nathan Scovill of Laingsburg

$1,000 SCHOLARSHIP: Ian Black of Eagle; Mary Hartman of Flint; Tyler Rozema of Coopersville; Kylie Slavik of Ashley; and Renee Souva of Bronson

$500 SCHOLARSHIP: Zachary Cline of Allenton; Spencer Fisher of Blissfield; Callie Halsey of Adrian; Chloe Harris of Ovid; Kinsee Lettinga of Wayland; Emily Carole Luthringer of Dowagiac; Taylor Peter of Vanderbilt; Kade Shiery of Camden; Shelby Souva of Bronson; and Madelyn Stewart of Charlotte

$1,000 STATEWIDE SCHOLARSHIP: Katherine Wilson of Blanchard

$500 STATEWIDE SCHOLARSHIP: Madeline Meyer of Ionia

APPLICATIONS AND QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MYLSF AND THE STATEWIDE SCHOLARSHIP CAN BE OBTAINED AT WWW.MICHIGAN.GOV/ MDA-MYLSF. APPLICATIONS MUST BE POSTMARKED NO LATER THAN FRIDAY, MAY 15, 2020.

MMPA Returns 100 Percent of Earnings as Cash Patronage

MMPA recently paid 100 percent of 2019 earnings as cash patronage refunds to its dairy farmer member-owners. The cash allocation of nearly $1 million represents 100 percent of the Farm Supply Store earnings and milk marketing earnings. All members who marketed milk through MMPA for fiscal year 2019 received a portion of the allocation. Cash patronage funds and equity allocations are based on the amount of milk each individual member farm marketed and on the supplies purchased through the cooperative during the year in which the earnings were achieved.

It all starts with you.

On March 14, we will mark a special day of appreciation when we return $82 million to our member-owners. Patronage is a result of our shared success and a reflection of our members’ continued hard work, dedication and commitment.

For more information contact your local GreenStone branch today.

800-444-3276

www.greenstonefcs.com

GreenStone FCS is an equal opportunity provider and employer.