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Who is DFA?
Where is DFA headquartered?
What kind of products does DFA produce?
How is Borden associated with DFA?
Who are some of DFA's affiliates?
How does DFA keep up with technology?
How does DFA plan for the future?
Does DFA export products?
What are industry views of DFA?
Who are DFA's leaders?
Dairy Farmers of America (DFA) is a dairy marketing cooperative founded January 1, 1998, by the consolidation of four regional dairy marketing cooperatives. In 2007, the cooperative marketed more than 61.9 billion pounds of milk for its then 18,000 dairy farmer members, supplying bottling plants and manufacturing plants that produce a complete line of dairy products for consumers in the United States and around the world. In 2006 DFA had sales of $11.1 billion.
Headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, DFA has members in 48 states, coast-to-coast and border-to-border. DFA products are sold in every state and are exported internationally.
DFA operates manufacturing plants producing a variety of dairy products including: American and Italian cheeses; cultured dairy products; coffee creamers; in-can sterilized infant and adult nutrition products; dehydrated products; nonfat dry milk; dried whey products; ground, shredded and diced cheeses; long shelf-life dairy products; and cheese sauces.
Borden Cheese, based in Kansas City, Mo., is DFA’s retail brand for cut and wrapped, and shredded cheese as well as individually wrapped processed cheeses including Swiss, American yellow, American white, and sharp cheese foods in premium, regular, low-fat and fat-free choices. Borden, The Big! and several private label brands along with Elsie the Cow became part of the DFA family of dairy products through a December 1997 acquisition.
DFA participates in joint ventures with some of the nation’s top processors that serve fluid milk and dairy product markets. Joint ventures include: Hiland Dairy Foods, Roberts Dairy, National Dairy Holdings, LP, Wilcox Farms, and Stremick Heritage Foods, all involved in fluid milk bottling and distribution. DairiConcepts, ASEP-TECH USA, Quality Milk, Dairy.com and Dietrich Milk are other DFA affiliates that serve other segments of the wholesale and retail cheese and dairy markets.
DFA's state-of-the-art Technical Center in Springfield, Missouri includes research and development laboratories, as well as a small-scale pilot plant that allows scientists to perform all current plant processes. It features a "customer-friendly" design that includes offices for DFA customers, so company technologists can work with DFA research staff in developing new products. Specialized laboratories focus on shelf-stable dairy products, cheese, dairy-based flavorings and cultured products. A sensory lab provides a setting for consumer testing of new products.
New products. Each year, DFA technologists create and test dozens of new dehydrated ingredients for the snack and food industries, as well as line extensions for sour cream and shelf-stable products. Ongoing research on cheese seeks ways to increase plant efficiency and cheese yield.
Dairy Farmers of America is working to build dairy exports. DFA ships cream and other dairy products internationally to locations where DFA is aggressively developing new markets. Through it's partnership with Dairy America of Fresno, California, DFA markets nonfat dry milk powder to world markets. Areas of the world where DFA is making sales and establishing sales relationships include: Mexico, Europe, Central and South America, Asia, the Pacific Rim, the Middle East and several other areas.
DFA is regarded within the dairy industry as one of the most progressive marketing cooperatives in the business today. Emphasis on quality and service, as well as a willingness to change and adapt to a rapidly changing industry, have all helped DFA maintain its leadership position.
DFA leadership – DFA's Board of Directors is made up of dairy farmers representing members across the United States. These producers are elected on a grassroots level by the farmer-members of DFA. Each Board member serves a 2-year term and helps to establish guidelines that define the business directions for DFA as a cooperative food company.