/usr/web/www.marshallindependent.com/wp-content/themes/coreV2/single.php
×

History of Southwestern Minnesota Dairy Association Part II

By 1958 there was movement in the direction of incorporating the creameries in this southwestern area of Minnesota. A meeting was held in Marshall to make initial plans, and by Nov. 1, 1958, the Southwestern Minnesota Dairy Association was incorporated under the laws of the state of Minnesota with Marshall, Tyler, Minneota, Cottonwood and Garvin as the charter members. Russell joined the association in December of 1958 with the Ivanhoe Creamery following in April of 1959 to complete the organization. Eventually the smaller creameries were sold, and the milk was hauled to Russell – the site chosen for the new plant. Tom Lattimore, who was manager of the Russell Cooperative Creamery at that time, was chosen to mange the SWMDA complex.

In October 1958 patent rights were obtained for Chain O’Gold butter, which was produced at SWMDA until 1977. The peak butter production year was 1964 when 2,296,459 pounds of butter were churned. Some of the butter was sold in bulk and the rest in pound cartons with the Chain O’Gold label. Erlof Madsen was the buttermaker, coming into that position in 1957. Erlof was awarded over 20 trophies for his excellence in butter making.

In the beginning, the association suffered some financial growing pains and at one time their liabilities were double their current assets, according to the 1959 financial statement. It was at this crucial time that Jim Holt assumed the management and Tom Lattimore was hired by Gruden Brothers at Clarkfield.

In the following years the building was improved and added on to, to increase the efficiency. In July of 1960 an evaporator and boiler were installed at a total cost of $121,200. The evaporator removed about three-fourths of the liquid from the milk and cut the expense of hauling the milk to the Land O’Lakes Plant in Mountain Lake.

By 1965 the Land O’Lakes Co. was surveying the Russell-Ivanhoe area for a site for a fertilizer blending plant. An ideal location was spotted southwest of Russell at the intersection of Highway 23 and County Road 2 with a railroad access. In 1966 Jim Holt and the board of directors negotiated with Edgar Hodges for 6 acres of land, and the plant was erected. By 1969 anhydrous equipment was purchased, and in 1974 the storage tanks were added.

On April 1,1977, the processing of milk was closed down, and in November of 1978 the can milk operation was terminated. During these years the SWMDA had built a good feed business with grinding equipment and trucks for hauling to the farmers.

Mr. Holt retired in 1977, and Gary Erdmann, an employee of the Land O’Lakes Co. of Tracy, was hired to replace Mr. Holt as general manager. The SWMDA employed over 175 people over the years.

In the winter of 1986 the business added a liquid fertilizer plant out by the other plant just south of town. They took on a new business at that same location when they added a fuel bulk plant in May of 1986.

Throughout 1994 SWMDA celebrated 35 years of business starting with the annual meeting and concluding with a social event in December. At the time of this writing, SWMDA has two bulk trucks that pick up milk from area dairy farmers and sell milk to Bongards for further processing into cheese. There are 10 full-time employees, and during the busiest time of the year as many as 16-18 are employed by SWMDA. SWMDA also has a full line in Ag Service Division of feed, fertilizer, chemical, seed fuel and petroleum supplies. The motto of the company continues to be “Where the Farmer Comes First.”

Sources: Our First Hundred Years – Russell, MN 188801988; notes from Arloene Olsen of Russell.

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

COMMENTS

[vivafbcomment]

Starting at $4.38/week.

Subscribe Today