Dairy farm decline prompts decision
 
NEW ULM, MINN. (Nov. 1, 2019) – Associated Milk Producers Inc. (AMPI) announced today it will discontinue production at its Arlington, Iowa, nonfat dry milk plant and Rochester, Minn., cheese plant. Company leaders said the decision stems from the continued decline in dairy farm numbers and milk production in the region.
 
Since 2008, Minnesota has lost 40 percent of its dairy farms, while Iowa is down 50 percent in that same time period.
 
The 49 Arlington and 75 Rochester employees have been informed. AMPI is working with them to provide access to resources, training and opportunities to apply for available jobs at AMPI facilities.
 
Milk previously processed at AMPI’s Arlington and Rochester locations will now be routed to other plants in the surrounding area, including AMPI’s Blair, Wis., cheese plant.
 
AMPI will continue to meet customer needs for dependable supplies of high-quality dairy products from its other manufacturing plants.
 
AMPI leadership is exploring options for the facilities’ future.
 
About AMPI:
AMPI is headquartered in New Ulm, Minn., and owned by dairy farm families from Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota and North Dakota. The cooperative’s award-winning cheese, butter and powdered dairy products are marketed to foodservice, retail and food ingredient customers. The co-op launched its Dinner Bell Creamery brand and accompanying Co-op Crafted promise in 2019, highlighting more than 50 years of dairy farm families partnering with skilled buttermakers and cheesemakers. AMPI members annually market about 5.7 billion pounds of milk generating $1.7 billion in sales.