In the late 1990s, many Wisconsin dairy producers were frustrated with existing milk markets. This inspired us to create a new system that was farmer-based and grassroots-driven. The idea was to group Wisconsin dairies into one common marketing organization to price milk.

 

We wanted to get it right, so we held countless meetings in Wisconsin. We traveled to New York and Pennsylvania numerous times to tour existing plants and marketing coops. We patterned ourselves after the Allied Federated Co-op in New York – 20 marketing co-ops under one umbrella. They shared haulers, one central office, fieldmen, and sales, but all had their own board of directors.

 

Scenic Central Milk Producers Co-op evolved out of this desire to create something new and better – and to bind existing plants and milk co-ops by a marketing agency. Our main objective was to return all monies possible to the producer. 

 

We were incorporated in September 1998. Scenic Central started marketing milk with 16 producers in Richland County. In the beginning, we were run completely by volunteers, but the co-op grew slowly and steadily. Our first markets were Arena Cheese and Cedar Grove Cheese – both of which we continue to sell to today. After the first year, we started another co-op in Northeastern Wisconsin called Packerland Dairy.

 

We now have around 300 members and are regarded as one of the industry’s highest quality programs. We are on our second accounting firm and our third bank. We demand good service for a fair price. Continuing to operate at less than 1% of sales, we have no debt and return all monies to producers.

 

Like our farmers, we are proud of what we do. We operate with integrity and plan to be here for the long haul.

 

Kenneth Boll
Founding General Manager (Retired)

Scenic Central Milk Producers