The Young Cooperator members of Associated Milk Producers Inc. toured the cooperative’s consumer-packaged cheese plant, ABS Global Inc. and AMPI member farms in Wisconsin on June 20-21. This annual event providing cooperative education to members age 40 and under attracted 25 families from a multi-state region, totaling just fewer than 100 attendees.

Day one was highlighted by a tour of the co-op’s consumer-packaged cheese plant in Portage, Wis. The plant specializes in packaging natural shredded cheese and processed cheese slices and loaves. Young Cooperators saw the process of producing roughly 1.2 million pounds of finished product daily.

Young Cooperator members of AMPI toured sites in Wisconsin during a recent educational outing. (Photo: AMPI)

A tour of ABS Global Inc. in DeForest, Wis., an artificial insemination collection and processing facility, took place on day two. The guided tour included the company’s lab, and the bull collection and rearing facilities. Through presentations by ABS staff, YCs learned about genomics and improving dairy cattle economics through breeding.

Two Wisconsin AMPI member farms were also available to tour.

Rambling Contours Farm is owned and operated by Dan and Karen Anderson, Holmen. This 250-cow dairy features a double-8 parallel parlor and free-stall housing.

Pine Knoll Farms, located near Galesville, is owned and operated by Bob and Shelly Hart. Attendees viewed the Registered Holstein and Brown Swiss cattle that are regularly exhibited at state and national shows.

More information about AMPI’s YC program can be found online at www.ampi.com.

Source: AMPI