We’ve all heard the mantra: “Eat your protein to build a strong body” or “Milk, it does a body good.”

We’ve all heard the mantra: “Eat your protein to build a strong body” or “Milk, it does a body good.” When one thinks of protein, perhaps a thick steak or chicken comes to mind along with eggs, salmon, and tofu.

From a small 5,000-square-foot plant in Springfield, Ill., solely focused on making ice cream mixes, to a large, 126,000-square-foot plant in Dubuque, Iowa, that processes nearly 40 million pounds of fluid milk a month, Prairie Farms Dairy boasts a wide range of manufacturing operations.

One of the first things Matt McClelland, CEO and executive vice president of Prairie Farms Dairy, proudly tells Dairy Foods during a visit to its Edwardsville, Ill.-based headquarters is, “I work for a bunch of dairy farmers. 

Darin Copeland, Public Relations Manager at Prairie Farms Dairy in Edwardsville,Ill., joins Dairy Foods for a wide-ranging conversation on several trends impacting the dairy industry. 

Wisconsin’s reputation as “America’s Dairyland” remains a point of pride in a state where cows not only serve as the lead brand ambassadors but the primary engines of the economy.

Since 1995, presidents have issued a series of annual proclamations designating the month of March as “Women’s History Month.” Dairy Foods is proud to highlight and celebrate 10 fascinating women working in the multifaceted dairy industry who are carving out their own unique path to success.

When making artisanal cheese, the lion’s share of the milk used — 10 pounds of milk to produce 1 pound of cheese — comes from 1.27 million dairy cows in Wisconsin. 

Since expanding operations and moving from New Gloucester, Maine, 120 miles Northeast to Bangor, home of world-famous horror author Stephen King, Pineland Farms Dairy Co.’s growth and reputation has been anything but scary.

The healthy hydrating refreshment of cool, nutritious, and delicious milk will never go out of style. Founded in 2004, Pineland Farms uses 100% fresh Maine milk from nearby farms — around 20 within a 50-mile radius of Bangor — to handcraft 3,200 to 6,400 pounds of specialty cheeses a day.