Foremost Farms USA is announcing plans to build a dairy processing
facility in Greenville, Michigan. On November 9, 2017, Foremost Farms closed on the
purchase of 96 acres of vacant property in Greenville, and is working closely with
the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and other Michigan and Greenville
entities moving forward to ensure a successful project in the state of Michigan. The
project is contingent upon receiving approvals of necessary local and state
incentives and support, including a long-term wastewater treatment solution.
Foremost Farms’ President and CEO Michael Doyle said, “Foremost Farms’ executive
management and board of directors plans to strategically build this facility in
Greenville in order to control our own destiny in Michigan and unify our seven-state
membership. All of our members produce high quality milk and this facility is part
of the plan to optimize that value today and into the future. Greenville is located
just 30 miles west of the center point of our member milk in Michigan. It is an
ideal location for us and we look forward to moving ahead with a future dairy
processing facility.”
Doyle adds, “It is our goal to continue to work with our strategic
partners/alliances like we have established in the region with Michigan Milk
Producers Association at Constantine, Mich., to maximize dairy farmer investments,
stabilize the regional milk market and add value for all producers in this market.”
This facility is planned to be operational in 12-to-14 months and would receive up
to six million pounds of raw milk per day. Foremost Farms would initially process
milk solids for internal use in farmer-owned production facilities in the Upper
Midwest, and for sales to customers and to strategic alliance partners.
Phase one of this project would provide the base to start a dairy processing
“campus” at that site. Foremost Farms is engaged in preliminary talks with companies
interested in value-added production facilities/capacity in alliance with Foremost
Farms at the Greenville site.
Foremost Farms’ Chairman Dave Scheevel said, “Our board of directors is looking
forward to seeing this project become a reality. The move effectively incorporates
our Michigan member milk production into our core manufacturing business with a path
to growth and stability in the region and for all Foremost Farms members.”
Greenville is located in west-central Michigan and has a population of about 8,500.
The 96-acre parcel is part of the Greenville industrial park. The property purchase
is the first step in Foremost Farms’ long-term strategy of managing milk solids
across the cooperative’s seven-state membership (Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan,
Minnesota, Iowa, Indiana and Ohio).
