The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) welcomed four new dairy cooperative members, two new board members and one new board officer, as the organization wrapped up its 2014 annual meeting on Oct. 29.

Also at the meeting, guest speaker Tom Vilsack, the U.S. Agriculture Secretary, told attendees that the USDA is extending by one week the deadline for farmers to enroll in the new Margin Protection Program. The previous deadline, Nov. 28, will be moved back to Friday, Dec. 5, to ensure that dairy producers have time after the Thanksgiving weekend to sign up for the new dairy safety net. NMPF had asked USDA to consider an extension, because Nov. 28 is “Black Friday.”

The new cooperative members are Bongards’ Creameries, Norwood, Minnesota; Cortland Bulk Milk Producers Cooperative, Cortland, New York; Mount Joy Farmers Cooperative Association, Mount Joy, Pennsylvania; and Oneida-Madison Milk Producers Cooperative Association, Sherrill, New York.

These new members bring the number of dairy cooperatives in NMPF to 31. NMPF members market the majority of the milk produced in the U.S., making NMPF the voice of more than 32,000 dairy producers on Capitol Hill and with government agencies.

The two new NMPF board members are Michael Doyle, president and CEO of Foremost Farms USA in Baraboo, Wisconsin, and Scot Meyer, board member of Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery, Ellsworth, Wisconsin. In addition, board member Keith Murfield, CEO of United Dairymen of Arizona, was elected to serve as secretary of the organization.

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In addition, NMPF recognized six outgoing board members for their service to the organization and presented the NMPF Political Action Committee Award to board member Dan Senestraro of Dairy Farmers of America.

The six outgoing board members receiving certificates of appreciation were William Blalock, Cooperative Milk Producers Association; Albert Knegendorf, Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery; Dennis Donohue, FarmFirst Dairy Cooperative; David Newhouse, Farmers Cooperative Creamery; Dave Fuhrmann, Foremost Farms USA; and Donald DeJong, Select Milk Producers. PD

—From National Milk Producers Federation news release

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Tom Vilsack, the U.S. Agriculture Secretary, speaking at NMPF’s annual meeting. Photo by Eric Priddy Photography, courtesy of the National Milk Producers Federation.