| By JASON WATKINS Staff Writer Select Milk Producers Inc. was honored recently as the corporation of the year at the annual Chamber awards banquet. Select Milk Producers was formed eight years ago by a group of large dairy producers with high quality milk and efficient dairy operations. The common goal was to provide the highest quality product in the market with the highest level of service. Rance Miles said that he and his staff were very honored to be singled out as corporation of the year. "We were very surprised to receive the award," said Miles. "There are so many great businesses in Artesia, so we were very honored to be singled out." Miles said that Select is run by a board of dairymen whose commitment to the communities they serve is unparalleled. "Our success is attributed to their commitment to the business and their very strong commitment to the community overall," said Miles. "They (the board) are a very community minded bunch of guys and you have to give them credit for their vision and foresight in our business." Miles said that Select Milk prides itself on having the highest quality standards in the dairy industry. "All in all we produce and sell the highest quality milk in the country," said Miles. Select ships its milk products to many companies throughout the U.S. Well known companies such as Bell Dairies, Price's, Creamland, Farm Land and Plains, purchase their milk from Select Milk Producers. Select Milk also provides milk to HEB Grocers, the largest independent grocer in the country, and Kroger Grocery Stores, the largest grocery store company in the world. Select sells their patented concentrated product to industry giants, Kraft, Dreyers Ice Cream and Blue Bell Ice Cream. The New Mexico/West Texas division of Select Milk is made up of 35 dairies and 32 members located in Artesia, Roswell, Albuquerque, Las Cruces, Clovis and El Paso. The division produces an average of 1,650,000,000 pounds of milk each year, which generates $214,500,000 for their members. The Central Texas division is centered around the Stephenville and Dublin area and is known as Elite Milk Producers. This division consists of 24 dairies and 22 members averaging 750,000,000 pounds of milk each year and generating $105,000,000 for its members. Select Milk has grown into the 10th largest dairy co-op in the U.S. producing more than 2,400,000,000 pounds of milk per year, which generates $319,500,000. Chamber Executive Director Richard Price said that Select Milk was chosen as corporation of the year not only for the funds it generates for their members, but also for what it does for the communities it serves. Select Milk sponsors community programs such as, No Drugs, No Gangs, Drink More Milk, the train depot visitor's center, Kids & Kows, state and county fairs, Pizza Ranch, mobile dairy classrooms, Special Olympics, Ag & City Round-up, Dairy Days, New Mexico Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum and local school programs. "They go hand-in-hand with the current industry in Artesia," said Price. "They believe in the communities they serve and they have been great to this community." |