“We are excited to bring this high-quality full-fat American dairy product to people in dire need of nutritional assistance outside of the United States,” said DPA President Tom Olson. “We decided on utilizing whole milk powder for donation to Christian Aid Ministries because it removes milk from the market in its entirety, and therefore we are not just providing an outlet for the nonfat byproduct of butter manufacturing.”
On April 15, DPA secured 41,887 pounds of 28.5 percent milkfat powder manufactured by Michigan Milk Producers Association in Ovid, Mich. The whole milk powder is destined to be distributed through Christian Aid Ministries to those in need in Haiti, Liberia and Nicaragua.
A group of DPA’s dairy producer members are currently contributing to the co-op with a $0.15 per hundredweight milk check assignment, money that is specifically earmarked to secure more whole milk powder for distribution.
DPA is also circulating a petition asking U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue to amend the Dairy Production Stabilization Act of 1983 to let any dairy producer voluntary divert $0.02 per hundredweight from their existing dairy checkoff funds to support DPA’s efforts to buy more dairy products to feed families in need while stabilizing dairy markets.
