Canadian dairy co-op Agropur has paid tribute to its members by announcing 16 new regional champions at its 28th annual Club of Excellence gala.
The event, held in Quebec on 27 January, paid tribute to the dairy farms that recorded the best milk quality results for Agropur, which has members in Quebec, Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador.
Jolipré Holstein Farm, in Saint-Moïse, Quebec, had the best overall combined result for milk quality and farm inspection.
The farm, owned by Marie-Josée Turcotte and Régis Lepage, has a herd of 80 Holsteins, including 45 lactating cows which produce an average of 10,508 kg of milk per animal.
An honourable mention went to Braefield Farm, in Penobsquis, New Brunswick.
Since its inception in 1988, the Club of Excellence has welcomed more than 2,000 award winners.
“The Club of Excellence has helped instil a true culture of milk quality,” said co-op president Serge Riendeau, “without which achieving such remarkable results would have been unthinkable. I am extremely proud that our leadership in this area is recognised not only in Canada but also the world over.”
Agropur was founded in 1938 and has become a leading player in the North American dairy industry, recording sales of $6bn in 2016 and processing more than 5.9 billion litres of milk a year at its 37 plants.
Brands and products include Natrel, Québon, OKA, Farmers, Agropur Signature, Agropur Grand Cheddar, Island Farms, BiPro, and, in a joint venture with Ultima Foods, iögo and Olympic.
