Furth to retire from AMPI in 2008

Board of directors to begin search for successor

 BLOOMINGTON, Minn. (March 25, 2008)—Mark Furth, president and chief executive officer of Associated Milk Producers Inc. (AMPI), New Ulm, Minn., today announced he would retire from the milk marketing cooperative in 2008.

 Furth announced the retirement to 400 delegates and guests gathered for the cooperative annual meeting at the Sheraton Bloomington Hotel. The AMPI Board of Directors will begin the search for a successor.

 “AMPI is strong, not just financially, but strongly focused on purpose,” Furth said. “This milk marketing business has what it takes to continue being a leading milk marketing cooperative—committed owners and employees.”

 Furth began his career at AMPI in 1970, shortly after the cooperative was formed. He held positions in accounting, marketing and membership, and was named assistant manager in 1985. In 1989 he became general manager of AMPI’s former North Central Region and, later, AMPI.

 The restructuring of AMPI in the late 1990s was a turning point for the cooperative, Furth said. The North Central Region—comprised of six upper Midwest states—retained the AMPI name and continued to strengthen its commitment to Midwest dairy producers and manufacturing.

 The cooperative’s annual delegate meeting culminates today. Delegates learned the value of their AMPI investment increased sharply in 2007, with dairy product sales, membership, milk volume and owner equity increasing. Record earnings of $24.8 million were reported.

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About AMPI: Associated Milk Producers Inc. (AMPI) is a dairy marketing cooperative with 3,600 member farms, 5.5 billion pounds of milk and $1.6 billion in annual sales. Members operate dairy farms located throughout the Midwest states of Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota and North Dakota. They own 15 manufacturing plants and market a full line of consumer-packaged dairy products, including the Cass-Clay^® brand. For more information about AMPI, visit the cooperative’s Web site at www.ampi.com.