Ensuring the safety and quality of the dairy you love

Ensuring the safety and quality of the dairy you love

We're committed to producing dairy that's high-quality, safe to eat, and always delicious.

Making milk and dairy that's good — and good for you

It's no secret that milk is highly perishable. While we can't help you with the forgotten yogurt in the back of your fridge, we can ensure that the milk and dairy products we produce are fresh and high-quality at every stage, from production to delivery.

Whether it's fresh from the cows, on the road, or being processed at one of our dairy manufacturing plants around the country, our milk and dairy products are handled with the best care and tested regularly to ensure their safety and quality. So you and your family can enjoy flavorful, fresh dairy every single day.

A DFA dairy manufacturing plant operator taking notes.

Ensuring dairy quality at every stage

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On the dairy farm

Our farmer-owners are committed to high standards for responsible farming in all areas of their businesses. Once the cows are milked, the milk is immediately chilled and sent to a bulk tank to keep it cold and fresh. When the milk hauler comes to pick up the milk, milk samples are collected. The hauler also checks the temperature of the milk in the tank to ensure it has been stored properly, and then visually inspects it for proper color and odor.

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On the road

Large tanker trucks haul our milk from farms to dairy manufacturing plants. Basically, these trucks are large thermoses that are cleaned and sanitized daily, and keep the milk sealed, secure, and at the proper temperature. Thousands of milk deliveries are made each day around the country, all of them using the same standards and technology to keep milk fresh and safe.

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At the dairy manufacturing plant

Once milk reaches our dairy manufacturing plants, where it becomes the great-tasting dairy products we all enjoy, samples are tested before we unload it. The presence of animal drug residues, temperature, and bacteria, as well as milk components are tested for quality and regulatory standards. If samples tested don’t meet the required standards, the tanker is rejected and disposed of properly. After passing our tests, milk is unloaded to be pasteurized and processed — and to go on to become ice cream, butter, yogurt, and more.

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On the road (again!)

Once our dairy manufacturing plants are finished with their work, it's time to ship our products to distribution centers and retailers. Using large, temperature-controlled trucks, we safely transport these delicious goodies around the country. Even when our drivers take a break, their trucks continue keeping our products at a consistent, cold temperature until reaching their destination.

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In the store

Grocery stores, convenience stores, and gas stations — no matter where our products are headed, our retail partners have the equipment needed to keep our products safe. From the truck and onto the shelves, our dairy products continue to be treated with the necessary care and temperature control.

From here, our products wait to be purchased by dairy lovers like you. Until their expiration date, that is. If dairy products are still on the shelf by their "sell by" date, they're disposed of by the retailer and replaced with fresh, new items.

Explore our quality brands

Now that you know how our products maintain their quality and safety, discover where to find our farmer-owned brands near you.

Find our brands

Safe quality foods certification

Safe quality foods certification

Since 2009, our dairy manufacturing plants have been certified by the Safe Quality Foods (SQF) initiative, ensuring the highest standards in food safety across our supply chain. The certification verifies that our food is created, prepared, and handled according to the highest standards, and regular audits assess everything from safety measures to employee compliance across our facilities.

Dairy quality and safety — from farm to you

Dairy quality and safety — from farm to you

Want to learn more about dairy's journey from farm to table? Whether it's waiting for pickup, on the road, or at the manufacturing plant, our dairy is closely monitored — ensuring the safest, best-quality dairy products for you to enjoy.

Explore the dairy journey

We're always improving our processes

When it comes to food safety and quality at DFA, we're always keeping it fresh. By continuously making improvements on the farm and in our dairy manufacturing plants, we ensure we're delivering the best, safest foods for dairy lovers everywhere.

Employee training

Employee training

Starting on day one, our manufacturing workers are trained on best practices and safety protocols for their role. Constant learning and reinforcement is key to keeping our facilities up to code and ensuring our business adheres to strict safety and quality compliances.

Crisis drills

Crisis drills

Like fire drills at work or at school, regular crisis drills train our employees to know exactly what to do and when to do it when disaster strikes. These protocols are critical to keeping our operations running smoothly, even when we hit a snag.

Upgrading and replacing equipment

Upgrading and replacing equipment

Hard work every day of every year means plenty of wear and tear on our facilities. Whether outdated or no longer functioning, our equipment is consistently upgraded or replaced to improve efficiency as well as health and safety standards.