EDWARDSVILLE, ILL. — Between Prairie Farms Dairy’s own products and those produced by its family of companies, such as Hiland Dairy, the cooperative received 65 awards across 37 classes during the 2024 World Dairy Expo Championship Dairy Products Contest.

In total, milk, yogurt, cottage cheese and other dairy products from Prairie Farms’ portfolio swept seven categories and collected 19 first place, 23 second place and 23 third place awards.

Prairie Farms chief executive officer and executive vice president Matt McClelland called the brands’ accomplishments a great honor, noting the company’s grand total led all others at the competition, which was comprised of 93 classes.

"The hard-working dairy farmers who founded our cooperative in 1938 would be proud to see our milk and dairy products compete and win on the world stage,” McClelland said. “The awards are a true measure of the decades long commitment of our farm families and employees to making the highest quality dairy products in America. The immeasurable pride behind each award belongs to them, and I am inspired every day by their effort."

Prairie Farms and Hiland Dairy products earned each of the top three spots in seven different categories – lactose-free white milk, 2% chocolate milk, fat-free chocolate milk, flavored UHT milk, tropical flavored drinkable yogurt, lowfat cottage cheese and blue veined cheese. Among them, Prairie Farms products originated from facilities in Hammond, Louisiana; Anderson, Indiana; Fort Wayne, Indiana; Rockford, Illinois; Battle Creek, Michigan; Quincy, Illinois; Mindoro, Wisconsin; and Fairbault, Minnesota; while Hiland Dairy products came from Kansas City, Missouri; Conroe, Texas; Chandler, Oklahoma; and Wichita, Kansas.

Breaking down the 65 awards by product, the most were for fluid milk (22), while honors also went to products in each of the following classes: yogurt (12), sour cream/dip (nine), cheese (seven), ice cream (six), cottage cheese (five), cream cheese (three) and whey (one).

The Wisconsin Dairy Products Association sponsors the contest, which judges dairy products made in both the United States and abroad. Winners of first, second and third place in each class will receive their awards at the World Dairy Expo, Oct. 1 in Madison, Wisconsin.

The complete list of winners from the 2024 competition is available online via the WDPA website.