North Branch Farms LLC of Gillett received an Excellent Quality award from Foremost Farms USA cooperative for producing quality milk during calendar year 2011.
North Branch was among recipients that were an active member of the cooperative the entire quality award period. They received quality premiums on all milk shipped, and maintained an average somatic cell count (SCC) of 200,000 or less. The milk tested negative for antibiotics and added water and the standard plate count (SPC) was 15,000 or below.
The cooperative presented two levels of achievement for quality milk production to local producer-owners throughout Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin. Superior Quality awards were presented to 38 producers whose milk averaged below 100,000 SCC. Excellent Quality awards were presented to 422 producers whose milk averaged between 101,000 arid 200,000 SCC.
“Our business is owned by dairy farmers and they consistently bring high quality milk to the table,” said president Dave Fuhrrnann. “The quality allows us to produce world class cheese, butter and whey ingredients. Quality milk is our future.”
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