Cornell recognizes Upstate Niagara Cooperative milk processing at State Fair

GEDDES, N.Y. — Cornell University’s New York State Milk Quality Improvement Program has named Upstate Niagara Cooperative, Inc. the “2014 Best Milk” processor.

Cornell made the announcement at the New York State Fair in the town of Geddes, just west of Syracuse. Upstate Niagara Cooperative announced its recognition in a news release distributed on Wednesday.

The milk-quality improvement program is a dairy farmer-funded program, the Cooperative said in the release.

The Buffalo–based dairy cooperative scored a 99.4 out of a possible 100 with fluid milk from its Buffalo facility, topping 16 other plant participants, according to its news release.

Program officials analyzed samples of the Cooperative’s milk throughout the last year, the organization said.

Cornell University performed microbiological and chemical tests to analyze various requirements to meet butterfat content, taste, odor, and post-pasteurization bacteria counts within the milk’s sell-by date.

 “With our roots in New York … every member of our farmer-owned co-op takes enormous pride in being named the best fluid-milk processor,” Jim Murphy, chief science officer at Upstate Niagara Cooperative, said in the news release.

Upstate Niagara Cooperative, under the ownership of dairy farmers throughout Western New York, is a food and beverage cooperative that markets products including milk, dip, ice-cream mix, yogurt, and flavored milk-based beverages.

It markets those products under brands such as Upstate Farms, Bison, Intense, and Crave. The Cooperative also serves as a private-label manufacturer for regional and national retailers, the organization said.

Contact Reinhardt at ereinhardt@cnybj.com