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DAIRY ST R “All dairy, all the time”™
Volume 19, No. 11
AMPI expanding Sanborn plant
July 22, 2017
Ready, set, dairy
Cooperative plans 14,000-square foot addition to Iowa facility By Jerry Nelson
jerry.n@dairystar.com
SANBORN, Iowa – AMPI, a farmer-owned dairy cooperative based in New Ulm, Minn., is expanding its Sanborn, Iowa, cheese and whey processing facility. The 14,000-square foot expansion will more than double the plant’s processing capacity, from 1.4 million pounds of milk per day to 3 million pounds of milk daily. This adds up to more than 1 billion pounds of milk annually. Bruce Brockshus, a member of the AMPI board of directors, addressed a crowd that gathered for a ribbon cutting ceremony and open house that was held at the Sanborn plant on July 17. Brockshus and his family milk 550 cows on their farm located near Ocheyedan, Iowa. “We saw the need for this expansion when it became evident that milk producBruce Brockshus tion was making a comeback in this area,” AMPI board member Brockshus said. “We have the infrastructure, we have the people and we have dairy farmers who are dedicated to the industry. This area’s milk production is growing and so is the demand for our products. The new expansion will increase the capacity and efciency of the Sanborn plant.” Harold Peters, manager of AMPI’s Sanborn division, said, “We already have enough milk production available in this district to meet the needs of this new expansion.” AMPI is owned by dairy farm families from Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, South Dakota, North Dakota and Nebraska. There Turn to AMPI | Page 5
JENNIFER COYNE/DAIRY STAR
Zeb Johnson milks 42 cows near Mora, Minn. Johnson purchased the farm site last summer and has spent the past year building his herd and becoming a full-Ɵme dairyman and owner of JerAnna Holsteins.
Johnson takes rst steps into industry By Jennifer Coyne jenn@dairystar.com
JERRY NELSON/DAIRY STAR
AMPI CEO Sheryl Meshke (center), along with AMPI board members and dairy producers, cut the ribbon during a ceremony held at their Sanborn, Iowa, cheese plant on July 17. A new addiƟon that is being built onto the AMPI Sanborn plant will more than double the plant’s processing capacity.
MORA, Minn. – Trading in a job with nancial stability and long-term benets to milk cows is not everyone’s idea of career growth, but for Zeb Johnson it was the right decision to lead him down the desired path of dairy farming. Last July, Johnson purchased a 40-acre farm site near Mora, Minn., where he milks 42 registered Holsteins. “I was at the ourmill for three years, working nights and 12-hour days. I thought if I’m going to work this hard I might as well be doing what I love,” Johnson said. “I thought I’d eventually be milking cows, but maybe not until I was 30. I worked a little harder and now I’m ahead of schedule.” Johnson’s farm includes a 30-stall, sandbedded tiestall barn and housing facilities for youngstock and dry cows. He also runs 120 acres of land for corn and alfalfa.
“This is a good farm to start out with,” Johnson said. “It’s not breaking the bank, but it’s also not the bare minimum. I have everything that I need to milk cows, and I can improve how I want to.” The 24-year-old started his dairy herd when he was young, purchasing a 6-monthold heifer with scholarship money earned through a 4-H interview. At that point, Johnson was granted a youth loan through the United States Department of AgricultureFarm Service Agency (FSA) to begin his dairy herd. Over the years, he slowly grew his herd to 12 milking animals, and housed them at his parents’ – Zane and Janet Johnson’s – 70-cow dairy near Hinckley, Minn. Then, after graduating college in 2013, Johnson pursued careers away from dairy farming with plans to someday return to his dairying roots. Turn to JOHNSON | Page 6