Local firefighters were recently honored as heroes by the dairy farm families of Associated Milk Producers Inc. (AMPI) and employees working at their farmer-owned plant in Sanborn.
“Thank you for always being there to answer the call,” read the appreciation message attached to gift bags delivered to the Sanborn Fire Department. AMPI, the nation’s leading cheese manufacturing cooperative, supplies ingredients used to make some of the snacks.
The gifts were prepared as a community service project by participants in AMPI’s Young Cooperator (YC) summer tour. Young dairy farmers and their families, representing the Upper Midwest states served by AMPI, kicked off the leadership development conference by preparing a care package for firefighters in communities where an AMPI dairy products manufacturing facility is located.
“Just as we care for our animals and our land, we are committed to caring for the communities where we live and work, including the locations of our plants. These values are central to AMPI’s identity,” said co-op member Amber Leuthold, a Minnesota dairy farmer who chairs the YC steering committee with her husband Jeff.
Employees of the local AMPI plant delivered the gifts along with words of praise for the firefighters.
“Having a high-functioning fire department is critical in our small town,” said Steve Voss, manager of the co-op’s Sanborn Division. “It’s important that AMPI gives back and shows appreciation to community servants, such as firefighters, who help us in times of need.”
AMPI is headquartered in New Ulm, MN, and owned by dairy farm families from Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota and North Dakota. AMPI is the largest farmer-owned cheese cooperative in the U.S. The cooperative’s cheese, butter and powdered dairy products are marketed to foodservice, retail and food ingredient customers. The co-op launched its Dinner Bell Creamery brand and accompanying Co-op Crafted promise in 2019, highlighting more than 50 years of dairy farm families partnering with skilled dairy craftsmen to make great-tasting, award-winning products. A Medium Cheddar was named the best in the U.S. at the 2023 United States Championship Cheese Contest.