Dairy Farmers of America, Inc. is a national milk marketing cooperative in the United States. It is owned by and serves nearly 16,000 dairy farmer members representing more than 9,000 dairy farms in 48 states. DFA buys raw milk from its members and sells milk and derivative products to wholesale buyers. Net sales in 2010 were $9.8 billion, representing about 30 percent of the raw milk production of the United States. Headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, DFA is divided into seven geographical areas. Each area elects farmer members to serve on DFA’s Board of Directors, which governs... the cooperative. DFA was formed in 1998 through the merger of four dairy cooperatives: the Southern region of Associated Milk Producers, Inc.; Mid-America Dairymen, Inc.; Milk Marketing, Inc.; and Western Dairymen Cooperative, Inc. Officials from the four cooperatives determined that merging would give the nation’s dairy farmers a fair voice in national policy making and the ability to address the needs of national customers.
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