Lanco Pennland Wins Top NMPF Dairy Award
The dairy producer took home the top prize for its Reserve Extreme Irish Cheddar at the national competition.
Updated on Oct. 21, 2026 in Organic Food
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Lanco Pennland claimed the top award in the NMPF dairy product competition for its Reserve Extreme Irish Cheddar. The winning product was produced by the team in Hancock, Maryland.
Why it matters
The contest provides an opportunity for NMPF cooperative members to highlight the quality of their dairy products before industry peers. Judges from the USDA and the University of Wisconsin Center for Dairy Research evaluated the entries.
The competition featured 217 entries across 14 cooperative members, totaling 2,700 pounds of dairy products. California Dairies won for a Danish 85% Salted butter, while Agri-Mark won for a 10% Plain Greek Yogurt.
The players
Lanco Pennland
This dairy producer is a member cooperative of the National Milk Producers Federation that operates production facilities in Maryland.
National Milk Producers Federation
This organization represents dairy farmer cooperatives across the United States and oversees industry standards and competitions.
Land O'Lakes
This agricultural cooperative is a major national manufacturer of butter and cheese products based in Minnesota.
California Dairies
This member-owned milk marketing and processing cooperative is one of the largest in the United States.
Prairie Farms Dairy
This dairy cooperative is a major regional producer of fluid milk and specialty cheeses based in the Midwest.
The details
The competition winners were honored at a cheese reception attended by 700 people. Other winners included Land O'Lakes for Sharp Cheddar and Prairie Farms Dairy for its Heat Treated Gorgonzola.
Timeline
October 20, 2026: Winners were celebrated at the Joint Annual Meeting cheese reception.
Culture Shift
The involvement of the University of Wisconsin Center for Dairy Research in judging the competition highlights its ongoing role in upholding technical standards across the US dairy sector. This collaborative effort reflects a broader industry movement toward integrating rigorous scientific evaluation with commercial dairy production.
Consumers may find award-winning products from Lanco Pennland, Land O'Lakes, and California Dairies more frequently highlighted in national retail settings. These recognitions often guide shoppers looking for verified quality in their dairy purchases at local grocery stores.
The takeaway
Industry competitions help producers establish reputations for quality that influence market standards. Consumers can use these award lists to identify high-quality dairy items produced by cooperative members nationwide.
Further reading
Learn more about high-quality production standards in the United States Organic Food sector.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Dairy Foods Magazine.
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