Foremost Farms USA plans to build a dairy processing facility in Greenville, Mich. It closed on the purchase of 96 acres of vacant property in Greenville Nov. 9, and is working closely with the Michigan Economic Development Corp.

The project is contingent upon receiving approvals of necessary local and state incentives and support, including a long-term wastewater treatment solution. 

Foremost Farms President and CEO Michael Doyle says Foremost Farms’ executive management and board of directors plans to strategically build the facility in Greenville to control “our own destiny in Michigan and unify our seven-state membership. All of our members produce high-quality milk, and this facility is part of the plan to optimize that value today and into the future. Greenville is located just 30 miles west of the center point of our member milk in Michigan. It is an ideal location for us, and we look forward to moving ahead with a future dairy processing facility.”

This facility is planned to be operational in 12 to 14 months and would receive up to 6 million pounds of raw milk per day. Foremost Farms would initially process milk solids for internal use in farmer-owned production facilities in the Upper Midwest and for sales to customers and to strategic alliance partners.

“It is our goal to continue to work with our strategic partners [and] alliances like we have established in the region with Michigan Milk Producers Association at Constantine, Mich., to maximize dairy farmer investments, stabilize the regional milk market and add value for all producers in this market,” Doyle adds.

Phase 1 of this project would provide the base to start a dairy processing “campus” at that site. Foremost Farms is engaged in preliminary talks with companies interested in value-added production facilities in alliance with Foremost Farms at the Greenville site.

Foremost Farms’ Chairman Dave Scheevel says, “Our board of directors is looking forward to seeing this project become a reality. The move effectively incorporates our Michigan member milk production into our core manufacturing business, with a path to growth and stability in the region and for all Foremost Farms members.”

Greenville is located in west-central Michigan and has a population of about 8,500. The 96-acre parcel is part of the Greenville industrial park. The property purchase is the first step in Foremost Farms’ long-term strategy of managing milk solids across the cooperative’s seven-state membership (Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Iowa, Indiana and Ohio).

Source: Foremost Farms