Member and Industry News

The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation officially launched the New York State Historic Business Preservation Registry to showcase the state’s businesses that have been in operation for at least 50 years and have contributed to their communities’ history. This registry started as a result of a bill passed by the state legislature and all nominations must be sponsored by a state elected official. Additionally, the program will provide educational and promotional assistance to help these businesses stay open for at least another 50 years. Agri-Mark was nominated for inclusion on this registry by Assemblyman Billy Jones. “We’re honored to be included in the historic business registry and we thank Assemblyman Jones for the nomination,” said Bill Beaton, CEO, Agri-Mark, Inc. “Our Chateaugay cheese plant has been a part of the local economy since the early 1900s, and it has manufactured McCadam cheese for over 70 years. The plant is as much a strategic part of the local community and the economy of the North Country as it is to Agri-Mark’s cooperative business. Since we purchased the plant in 2003, we have continued to produce the highest quality dairy products under both the McCadam and Cabot brand names. From Adirondack Wicked Sharp Cheddar to Muenster and pepperjack, our dedicated plant production team produces award-winning cheeses year-after-year that our customers and consumers crave. We’re proud to continue the cheesemaking legacy in Chateaugay and to be recognized as a historic business.”

In February 2022, Gabriella Taylor was named the 20222023 New York State dairy ambassador. Taylor formerly served as the Wayne County Dairy Princess in 2021. In her role as dairy ambassador, Taylor will serve as a spokesperson and advocate for dairy farmers by attending special events to educate consumers on the nutritional benefits of milk and dairy foods, how farmers care for their cows and land in order to produce a sustainable product, and the importance of the dairy industry to the New York state economy. She will receive a scholarship and an internship opportunity with the American Dairy Association North East. Katie Jasmin was named first associate ambassador, and Annika Donlick was selected as second associate ambassador. They will also receive scholarships, and both will assist the New York State dairy ambassador with training, appearances and other duties. The competition was sponsored by the American Dairy Association North East.

Dopkins & Company, LLP, a full-service certified public accounting and consulting firm, announced that Andrew J. Reading, CPA, will serve as a judge for the 2022 New York Business Plan Competition. Presented by the Upstate Capital Association of New York, the NYBPC is a venture creation and innovation competition that encourages innovation and entrepreneurship throughout New York’s colleges and universities.

This year’s IDFA conference welcomes 35 exciting and innovative flavors into its annual Ice Cream Flavor Contest. Judged by ice cream industry professionals in attendance, the ice cream that took the prize for the Most Innovative Ice Cream Flavor was Purple Daze by The Ice Cream Club, Inc. This black raspberry ice cream with a black raspberry crinkle and dark chocolate

raspberry cups “iced” out the competition with its deliciousness! In the Most Innovative Ice Cream novelty category, the Northeast Dairy Foods Association saw two member winners. While first place went to Blue Bunny Strawberry Cheesecake Twist Cone by Wells Enterprises, Inc., Perry’s Ice Cream Company, Inc., received second place for its Yellow Cake Sundae Crunch Ice Cream Bar, and third place went to Dairy Farmers of America for its Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler.

Farm Credit East recently released its 2022 Insights & Perspectives report, which includes market outlooks for multiple sectors, including dairy, grain and oilseeds, greenhouse and nursery, lobster, forest products and vegetable crops. “As we’ve seen in the past two years, Northeast farmers, commercial fishermen and forest products businesses are resilient and continue to think strategically about their businesses and adjust as necessary,” said Mike Reynolds, Farm Credit East CEO. “Farm Credit East has tapped into our network of experts, both internal and external, to produce this year’s report. Our goal is to provide producers with the knowledge and expertise needed to inform their business decisions.” The report’s first article is an update from Farm Credit East Director of Knowledge Exchange Chris Laughton on the state of Northeast agriculture, commercial fishing, and forest products. Two of particular interest to the dairy industry are: • Dairy Outlook by Christopher Wolf, Cornell University • Green Industry Outlook by Charlie Hall, Texas A&M

University

To view the report, titled 2022 Insights and Perspectives, visit FarmCreditEast.com/reports.

Great Lakes Cheese recently broke ground on a new stateof-the-art manufacturing and packaging plant in Franklinville and Farmersville, New York. With a capital investment of over $518 million, the project is the largest infrastructure investment in company history. Great Lakes Cheese will retain 228 jobs in the area, while added 215 more. It will also double its milk consumption to 1.42 billion pounds each year, a direct benefit to New York’s dairy farmers. The new plant will replace the company’s existing facility in Cuba, New York, when completed in 2025.

Land O’Lakes, Inc. was named fourth on the Fast Company’s World’s Most Innovative Company’s list in the Corporate Social Responsibility category. The company was recognized for convening the American Connection Project to close the digital divide through dozens of partner organizations and its member-owner network. This award category honors efforts that “relentlessly innovate to solve health and climate crises” and businesses making the biggest impact on their industries and culture whole – ultimately thriving in today’s ever-changing world. According to Land O’Lakes, more than 40 million Americans lack broadband access in both rural and urban areas. For more on Corporate Social Responsibility, see the article on page 52.

Schenck Process, LLC, is proud to announce the launch of its brand new B2B e-commerce site. This is an exciting development in the group’s online offering and demonstrates an ongoing commitment to innovate the overall customer experience. By providing a platform that streamlines the accessibility of its key component portfolio, Schenck Process has been successful in simplifying valuable customer interactions. Aimed at trading customers initially within their EMEA locations, the new site will provide these customers with increased visibility on the breadth of the Schenck Process key component offerings for a variety of industries, including food. An automated ordering and quotation system will simplify the buying process for customer transactions while still ensuring the best functionality, security and support are available. The products featured on the e-commerce platform commonly have standard specifications, making an automated channel for ordering them a much more efficient service.

Calling all youth coaches, club leaders and advisors. Kids in uniform can now order anything from the Stewart’s Shops cone counter and receive $1 off any regularly priced item. This deal applies to any youth uniform, including sports jerseys, concert attire or other club apparel. The offer is part of Stewart’s effort to proudly support the youth in the company’s communities. In 2022, Stewart’s plans to donate $1.2 million to various organizations that provide recreational activities to children.

WestRock Company, a global manufacturer of differentiated paper and packaging solutions, broke ground on a 285,000-square-foot expansion at its consumer packaging facility in Claremont, North Carolina. The $47 million investment was bolstered by a performance-based grant from the One North Carolina Fund and is expected to create 50 new jobs by the end of next year. The expanded facility and its employees will support WestRock’s production of sustainable, fiber-based packaging for some of the world’s leading food, food service and beverage brands. WestRock has more than 50,000 employees and more than 300 locations worldwide.