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August 10, 2024
“All dairy, all the time”™
Volume 26, No. 12
Big win in stray voltage case Vagts Dairy LLC triumphs with Iowa Supreme Court ruling in their favor By Amy Kyllo
amy.k@star-pub.com
WEST UNION, Iowa — Stacks of thick binders containing myriads of evidence and court documents lay on dairy farmer Mark Vagts’ dining table. Each binder is a visual representation of the Vagts family’s three-year litigation battle. The Vagtses sued Northern Natural Gas after stray voltage affecting their cattle was found on their farm. On June 21, litigation with Northern Natural Gas came to a close with a ruling in the family’s favor from the Iowa Supreme Court. In the court ruling, Vagts Dairy LLC was awarded $4.75 million in damages. “We’re lling in a big economic hole,” Mark said. “We’re not building a moun-
tain. We’re lling in a hole.” Vagts Dairy is owned by Mark and his son, Andrew. They milk around 500 cows with the assistance of employees. “It was very emotional, very stressful,” Mark said. “Our life has not been a lot of fun because of that. The Vagts family said they went into mediation and felt Northern Natural Gas was not interested nor did the family feel they made effort to acknowledge the problem. “Northern Natural Gas did not take us seriously,” Mark said. “It’s kind of like David versus Goliath or worse, ... we’re throwing stones and they’re fully armored.” Turn to VAGTS DAIRY | Page 2
AMY KYLLO/DAIRY STAR
Mark (leŌ) and Andrew Vagts look through court documents July 18 at Mark’s home near West Union, Iowa. The Vagts family was in the liƟgaƟon process for over three years.
Closing the doors Dairy Farmers of America Pollock plant closes By Sarah Middendorf sarah.m@star-pub.com
Pollock, S.D. — Dairy Farmers of America announced the closure of their dairy ingredient facility in Pollock to the public July 18. The facility will ofcially close Aug. 30. “This was a difcult decision, but we have a responsibility to operate nancially sound businesses that bring additional returns to our family farm-owners’ investment in the Cooperative,” said the statement provided by DFA. The facility has been operated by DFA since 1998 and originally produced mozzarella cheese. In 2002, they converted it to produce hard Ital-
PHOTO COURTESY OF PRAIRIE PIONEER, POLLOCK SOUTH DAKOTA
A ag uƩers in the breeze in July at the Dairy Farmers of America Pollock facility in Pollock, South Dakota. The facility will be closing its doors Aug. 30. ian cheeses. On average, the facility processed 450,000 pounds of milk per day. DFA said they will continue to have space for the milk production at nearby facilities located in North Dakota and the upper Midwest. The facility in Pollock will re-
ceive milk until Aug. 29. DFA said their customers will continue to be served by their ingredient facilities. According to DFA, there were many things taken into consideration when deciding to close the facility, including the analysis of new demand as
well as the current supply dynamic. “As part of a coordinated, Cooperative-wide milk marketing and balancing optimization project, the decision has been made to close our dairy ingredient facility,” DFA said.
Due to the closure, there will be 33 full-time and four part-time positions affected and removed from DFA. “Any decision impacting people’s livelihoods is one not taken lightly, and we will work with employees to help them through this transition,” DFA said. All full-time employees will be receiving a severance package. DFA said they are searching locally for employment opportunities and providing resources to help aide in the transition to other employment for those affected. DFA is still determining what the next steps are for the building and the equipment inside. “The employees at the facility have done an excellent job producing dairy ingredients, and we appreciate all their hard work and dedication,” DFA said.