Leaking milk into city's sewer system forces closure of 110-year-old creamery
HASTINGS, Minn. (UI) — Hastings Creamery, a longstanding dairy institution that has served Minnesota and Wisconsin for over a century, has closed its doors due to an incident involving the release of substantial amounts of milk and cream into the city's wastewater plant, the Star Tribune reported.
Earlier this summer, the Metropolitan Council (Met Council) disconnected the creamery from the city's sewer system. This action followed an incident where thousands of gallons of raw milk and cream leaked into the wastewater plant, prompting regulators to step in. The situation had been exacerbated by plummeting milk prices resulting from market oversupply.
Despite undergoing management changes and receiving positive evaluations in subsequent inspections, the creamery was unable to sustain its operations.
"I really thought things were looking up, but the cash situation was really tough," Minnesota Department of Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen told the Star Tribune. "Hopefully in the next couple of weeks we'll see if a buyer comes forward or if they're able to infuse some cash. It might be a longer-term closure of the plant."
As a response, the department is actively seeking alternative processing options to support the affected dairy farmers.
The Met Council, recognizing the creamery's importance to the region, issued a statement indicating collaboration with the creamery and regulatory bodies to "find a solution that supports local milk producers while protecting the community water supply." This underscores the need to balance the economic concerns of the creamery with the critical aspect of safeguarding the water system.
Hastings Creamery, initially established in 1913 as a butter manufacturer during Minnesota's emergence as a leading butter producer, faced challenges in recent years. A group of small organic dairy farmers purchased the creamery in 2021 with the aim of securing a direct market for their milk and ensuring the legacy of their family farms.
In 2022, the creamery took a new step by launching a Dairy Store in Hastings, strategically positioned near its traditional location. The store aimed to garner local support, emphasizing the significance of community backing for the creamery and its offerings.
This story was originally published by the Star Tribune.
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