Michigan Dairy Producers Approve Continuation Referendum

For immediate release: October 24, 2017

Media contact: Jessy Sielski, 517-284-5725 Industry contact: Cheryl Schmandt, 248-442-5682  

LANSING – Michigan’s dairy producers have approved a referendum to continue the Michigan Dairy Market Program for Grade “A” Milk.

Established in January 1983, the Michigan Dairy Market Program was developed to increase consumer awareness and promote the sale of milk and milk products within Michigan. 

The program will continue for an additional five years beginning January 1, 2018. The current program assessment is $.15 per hundredweight of Michigan Grade “A” Milk, $.10 of which stays in Michigan for statewide promotion, and $.05 of which goes toward national promotion.

A total of 386 ballots were cast in the referendum. Of those, 345 producers voted yes (89 percent), representing 3,415,417,264 pounds (91 percent of the production volume represented) and 41 producers voted no (11 percent) representing 344,488,929 pounds (9 percent of the production volume represented).

For renewal of the program and its activities, more than 50 percent of the voting producers, representing more than 50 percent of the pounds sold by those voting, must have approved it.