PERHAM, Minn. — Every day that Bongards staff go to work, they are thinking up ways to add value to their dairy products that can, in turn, put more money in the pockets of dairy farmers.

When the farmer-owned cooperative bought the milk processing plant in Perham in 2003, it was not in operation. They began major capital improvements in 2012 that have never really slowed down, as construction is expected to continue into 2026 and likely continue as new technology and efficiency come along. They are now at their peak of production.

In 2012, they were at about 1.5 million pounds of milk processed each day. By 2014, around 2 million. They surpassed 3 million pounds per day in 2015, 4.2 million pounds in 2018, and are at about 5.3 million pounds a day in 2025. There are 8.6 pounds in a gall

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