The meeting drew 28 dairy farmers as well as representatives from cooperatives, processors, brands, research institutions and NGOs, underscoring the strength of collaboration in advancing U.S. dairy’s sustainability leadership.
Rexing and his wife, Ranell, operate New Generation Dairy, near Owensville, Ind., milking 1,200 cows and farming 3,500 acres of corn, beans, wheat and alfalfa.
After receiving several great applications, the Dairy Foods editorial staff determined that California Dairies Inc.’s (CDI) Valley Natural Beverages (VNB) facility in Bakersfield, Calif., should be honored as the 2025 Plant of the Year.
Milk was once thought of as the dairy industry’s weak link in terms of sales. But the 2025 Plant of the Year, California Dairies Inc.’s (CDI) Valley Natural Beverage facility in Bakersfield, Calif., proves otherwise. See article in this issue.
California Dairies Inc. (CDI) announced that president and CEO Brad Anderson will retire at the end of 2025. CDI named Rob Vandenheuvel, current chief operating officer, as Anderson’s successor. Vandenheuvel will assume the role of president and CEO on January 1, 2026.
DairyAmerica will remain under the leadership of Patti Smith, CEO, and the DairyAmerica office will remain in Fresno, Calif.
November 30, 2022
DairyAmerica is a federated cooperative currently co-owned by CDI, Agri-Mark, Inc., and O-AT-KA Milk Products. As part of the acquisition, CDI will purchase the ownership rights currently held by Agri-Mark, Inc. and O-AT-KA Milk Products, making DairyAmerica a wholly owned subsidiary of CDI.