UMaine’s Witter Farm Wins Agri-Mark Top Quality Producer Award

The University of Maine J.F. Witter Teaching and Research Center’s dairy operation has received the top quality producer award for Agri-Mark Region 14 for 2011.

Region 14 consists of all the Agri-Mark farms in the state of Maine and one in Chatham, N.H. The award recognizes efforts by students and staff at the Witter Farm dairy operation to produce the highest quality milk possible. Dean Ashworth, dean of the College of Natural Sciences, Forestry, and Agriculture praised Witter Farm Superintendent Jake Dyer, farm staff Lizz Carpenter, Mark Tucker, Ben McLaughlin and Rick Seekins, along with students in UMaine’s animal and veterinary sciences program for the award.

Agri-Mark is a New England and upstate New York dairy farmers cooperative. It owns the Cabot brand of Vermont Cheddar, butter and other dairy products in addition to the McCadam brand of New York Cheddar, Pepper Jack and other cheeses. The co-op posted sales of $781 million in 2010 and markets more than 300 million gallons of fresh milk annually for more than 1,275 dairy farms in New England and New York, according to Agri-Mark.

Contact: Frederick Servello, (207) 581-3228