Quality cheese starts with passionate farmers

It takes knowledge, pride and plenty of expertise to consistently craft award-winning cheeses. Yet even the most skilled of cheesemakers would be limited in their capabilities without access to the highest quality milk.

The best cheese starts with milk produced at the best-managed dairy farms. Producers recognize that the main consideration to ensure quality is proper care and respect for their herds.

“From feed and bedding to the people in the parlor, it’s all about keeping your animals healthy,” said Tim Kieffer, who operates River City Dairy near Hastings, Minn. “If you’re doing a good job with animal care, it’s going to pay off with higher quality milk.”

Agropur’s milk producers are passionate about their work and understand there’s a direct line from healthy, comfortable cows to a wholesome and nutritious product.

For Kieffer, dairy farming is more than a career. It’s his heritage and lifelong experience. The farm has been in the family for more than 100 years and has grown in recent decades from a 40-cow milking operation to 350 cows.

River City is among 372 US farms from which Agropur procures our milk. They’re located in Idaho, Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wisconsin.  There’s a wide diversity with farm sizes ranging from about 30 cows to 10,000, and the milk they produce is turned into more than 1 billion pounds of high-quality cheese each year.  

Whether large or small, each of the farms that provide milk to Agropur share some common points: quality is paramount, and the well-being of their animals is a top priority.

Cows aren’t tools. They’re teammates. And dairy farmers are more than producers – they’re caretakers. Kieffer said his farm has been able to significantly limit the use of antibiotics by taking steps to ensure his cows keep healthy. He takes joy in experiencing the life cycle of his animals.

“You see how quickly they grow,” Kieffer said. “You think, ‘I remember when she was a calf jumping out of her pen.’ Seeing them come all the way up – there’s a lot of satisfaction in that.”

Tom Cornette shares that satisfaction.

He owns Cornette Dairy in Luxemburg, WI, with his brother, Paul. They grew up on the farm, and cows were always part of the environment.

“As you gain more responsibility, you realize how your actions and decisions affect how those animals produce, but also how they affect their quality of life,” Cornette said. “You realize the importance of keeping their stalls clean and dry and not letting manure build up. Something as simple as cleaning the lights off so the lighting isn’t dull – it’s all important. It makes it comfortable for them.”

Jeff Montsma, Agropur’s Milk Procurement Manager for Wisconsin, said the caretaker role comes before the business side for quality milk producers. If you properly handle caretaking, the business will take care of itself.

Agropur partners with our producers to help them maintain optimum quality. Field service representatives pay visits to farms, conduct reviews and identify any problem points.  In our modern data-driven world, quality issues can be identified quickly, Montsma said.

Today, farmers can access milk quality reports with a click of the mouse. They welcome the assistance that Agropur provides, and it speaks to the excellence of our producers.

“They’re able to survive the ups and downs in pricing, because they pay close attention to detail and to quality,” Montsma said.

Cornette said his family has been involved in dairy farming for “as far as you can look back.” His father was raised on a farm and purchased his own 30-cow operation in 1972. The farm expanded, and Tom and Paul took it to the next level. Today, they manage a herd of 425 cows. They have six robotic milkers adding efficiency that earlier generations couldn’t have fathomed.

Technology has changed, yet dairy farming today still requires the strong work ethic and relentless attitude that it always has.

“You can’t phone it in or not show up,” Cornette said. “We’re dealing with living beings that require care.”

While it’s hard work, Cornette said it’s richly satisfying to have a life with close connections to their animals, crops and the land. There’s also pride in knowing that his farm plays a direct role in producing products loved around the world.

When trucks leave the farm, their milk is just beginning its journey. Agropur’s seven US facilities produce cheeses that consistently earn honors at top US and world competitions.

Cornette’s pride grew after learning of some of the brands and businesses that rely on Agropur for their cheese.

“To hear people say, ‘I love that product’ – it’s kind of cool,” Cornette said.