DAIRY QUALITY AWARDS
THE TEAM AT WILSON CENTENNIAL FARM. (COURTESY OF CARLA WARDIN AND HOARD’S DAIRYMAN)
MMPA DAIRY FARMERS SHINE IN NATIONAL QUALITY AWARD PROGRAM
F
ifteen MMPA dairy farms were recently awarded National
Dairy Quality Awards by the National Mastitis Council (NMC). Recognized during the virtual NMC 60th Annual Meeting,
these MMPA members were among 46 nationally recognized farms in the annual award program. 18
milk messenger
/ MAR-APR 2021
One MMPA farm earned the highest honor, which was granted to only six dairy farms in the U.S. The platinum award winner was Wilson Centennial Farm in Carson City, Michigan. MMPA farms won seven gold awards, eight silver awards, plus one honorable mention. “MMPA dairy farms continue to excel in milk quality and we are proud of their efforts toward continuous improvement. This year’s representation in the National Dairy Quality Awards, along with reaching record average quality test results is yet another a testament to maintaining excellence,” Ben Chapin, manager of field services said. MMPA offers a portfolio of member services to help members produce the highest quality milk possible, with field representatives working closely with
each member to achieve quality goals. MMPA also offers a quality premium incentive for its members producing higher quality milk. Overall, MMPA members’ milk quality continued to improve through the year, with record low somatic cell counts (SCC), a key milk quality indicator. MMPA offers its own quality award program and this year presented awards to 368 member farms for the production of outstanding quality milk over the last fiscal year. MMPA’s large representation in the NMC National Dairy Quality Award Program further underscores the hard work of the cooperative’s farms while competing against other well-performing farmers across the country. NDQA judges considered many criteria when reviewing finalists’ applications. In addition to milk quality indicators,
