Associated Milk Producers Inc. achieved sales of $2 billion last year. The 2011 performance marks the fifth consecutive year of growth in both consumer-packaged butter and cheese. The cooperative’s butter business increased 22 percent and packaged cheese sales climbed 43 percent in five years.  

Butter prices received for 25-kilogram and 68-pound boxes meeting United States Department of Agriculture Grade AA standards averaged $1.44 per pound for the week ending March 17.

Swiss Valley Farms chief executive officer Donald A. Boelens was dealing with volatile milk prices and a collapsing export market in 2008-2009. Looking back, he says he knew there had to be a better management structure, one that could allow the company to take advantage of opportunities caused by price fluctuations and at the same time deal with the hardships.

Oakhurst Dairy said that John H. Bennett and Thomas A. Brigham will be named co-presidents of the company following a meeting of the board of directors in April. As originally planned, President and CEO William P. Bennett plans to transition from day-to-day operations but will maintain an active role in the company’s management as Chairman of the Board. 

Dry Whey prices received for bag, tote, and tanker sales meeting USDA Extra Grade standards averaged 61.9 cents per pound, an increase of 1.3 cents.

A Dutch Gouda-style cheese is the 2012 World Championship Cheese. The semisoft, reduced-fat cheese, called Vermeer, from FrieslandCampina in Steenderen, Netherlands, took top honors out of 2,504 entries from 24 countries.