Photo courtesy of AMPI Associated Milk Producers Inc. Sales Director Tony Busch, left, accepts the Minnesota Governor’s International Trad Award from Gov. Tim Walz on behalf of the co-op’s dairy farmer owners and employees Jan. 24 in Bloomington.

NEW ULM — Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz recognized Associated Milk Producers Inc. (AMPI) with the Governor’s International Trade Award Jan. 24 at the 39th International Trade Awards in Bloomington.

The Minnesota Trade Office award recognizes companies that have shown exceptional progress and results in foreign markets.

“Trade and investment play an important role in our state’s economic growth and job creation,” Walz said. “I am proud to recognize the success of companies in Minnesota that are globally engaged.”

AMPI Vice President of Marketing Sarah Schmidt said AMPI was one of four Minnesota companies that received the award that received 2,000 applications.

“To be recognized as one of four among 2,000 applications was a very special honor,” said Schmidt.

“Our first export opportunity was our sliced, American cheese in China in 2020. It has become very popular in pub restaurants on good, old-fashioned American cheeseburgers,” she said.

“In addition to China the next most active region of the world is the Middle East at restaurants and retail grocery stores in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Israel, Egypt, Oman, Kuwait and Jordan,” said Schmidt.

Today, more than 20% of AMPI packaged sliced American cheese, loaves and shreds of natural cheese are distributed to restaurants in 14 countries, primarily in Asia, the Middle-East-North Africa, Central America and the Caribbean.

Representing AMPI in receiving the Minnesota Governor’s International Trade Award were Steve Schlangen, board member and dairy farmer from Albany, Marshall Reece, senior vice president of sales and marketing; Sheryl Meshke, president and CEO; Tony Busch, sales director; Dave Peterson, chairman of the board and dairy farmer from Boyd, Wis.; Brock Kline, CFO; Sarah Schmidt, vice president of marketing; and Tom Hoscheit, board member and dairy farmer from Caledonia.

AMPI, headquartered in New Ulm, is owned by 850 dairy farm families from across the Upper Midwest. Two of the co-op’s seven manufacturing facilities and one-third of its employees are based in Minnesota.

AMPI Sales Director Tony Busch, a 31-year member of the team and instrumental player in growing the cooperative’s global presence, accepted the award on behalf of AMPI’s member-owners.

“This award fuels our momentum to continue building strong international partnerships,” Busch said. “We work on behalf of AMPI dairy farmers to bring quality, Co-op Crafted® dairy products to restaurants and grocery stores around the world.”

AMPI began a targeted export program in 2020 to develop long-term relationships with in-market distributors.

Today, more than 20 percent of the co-op’s packaged cheese production is destined for customers overseas. Sliced American cheese, loaves and shreds of natural cheese are now distributed to 14 countries, primarily in Asia, the Middle East-North Africa, Central America, and the Caribbean.

Applicants were recognized at the event in the categories of agricultural commodities, manufactured goods, services, and international investment.

AMPI is owned by dairy farm families from Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota and North Dakota.  AMPI  is the largest farmer-owned cheese cooperative in the U.S.

The cooperative’s cheese, butter and powdered dairy products are marketed to food service, retail and food ingredient customers.