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Knapp Time Dairy earns Verified Premium Plus designation

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Knapps want consumers to know the dairy industry cares for their animals and strives to produce a safe, quality product

"With all the bad publicity, producers need to get the true facts out there. It's something everybody should do. We need to be proud of our lifestyle, " said Kevin Knapp, who along with his wife, Cari, own and operate Knapp Time Dairy north of Lester.

For the Knapps, the true facts are they put forth every effort to produce milk that will provide safe, high-quality, and nutritious dairy products for consumers and they take care of their animals.

Concern for the environment led Kevin and Cari to open Knapp Time Dairy to an independent environmental evaluation by Dairy Quality Center. The results of the on-site review earned Knapp Time Dairy the prestigious "Producer of Sustainable Milk & Beef designation which accompanies the Verified Premium Plus quality assurance program recognition or highest level of attainment for dairy businesses by Dairy Quality Center. Although over 20, 000 dairy operations have been reviewed for quality assurance since the program was first implemented in 1990, few have been designated Verified Premium Plus. The designation is in effect for one year.

Earning this distinction is based upon an on-site walk-through by a licensed veterinarian. In the Knapps' case, Michael Elbert DVM of Rock Rapids, a professional consultant for Dairy Quality Center located in Stratford, did the reviewing.

Water test analyses, feed component tests, nutrient tests of manure, and soil tests were the foundation of an "impact on the environment" evaluation. A subjective third party did a review of air quality, noise level evaluation, attention to facility appearance, animal health, and worker safety. The process involves passing a 3, 000-point test, with points being received in six categories:

Milk safety and quality

Quality dairy animal care -- producers must provide their animals with food and water, clean areas to rest, shelter from the sun and environment, health care when needed, When tallied, the walk-through benchmark score must total at least 80 percent or 2, 400 points. The Knapps received a score of 92 percent. Dairy Quality Center stated the Knapps' accomplishment "puts actions behind the DQ Center's slogan, 'Milk--Good for you, Good for the Environment'."

This isn't the first time the Knapps have received recognition for their efforts. In 2004, they were named AMPI Outstanding Young Cooperators. At that time, the couple had been married only two years and had lived on their Lyon County farm less than a year.

Since then several changes have been made. For one thing they have gone from one child to four children. The size of the dairy herd has also increased and now numbers 120 cows with up to 100 milking cows at any given time. Although Knapp Time Dairy was home to several dairy breeds in 2004, the herd is now mainly Jersey with a few Brown Swiss. The Knapps artificially inseminate their females to registered Jersey bulls and raise their own replacement heifers. Another way mation about steps taken to make all aspects of dairying comfortable for their animals, to ensure odor reduction, to avoid groundwater and surface water contamination, to maintain nutrient management and more.

The brochure states that 6, 820 pounds of milk leave Knapp Time Dairy 365 days a year, providing enough milk to supply 4, 546 people with their daily calcium requirement or enough milk for the cheese in 1, 705 pizzas. That adds up to 311, 162 gallons of milk a year.

Knapp Time Dairy's milk is marketed through Associated Milk Producers Inc. (AMPI). Kevin said that AMPI does business with a fast food chain and to guarantee they are providing a quality product, AMPI requires a large percentage of their members be certified.

"Being certified is a good thing, " said Kevin. "For milk producers, it's a pride thing and shows we care about what we do. We're proud we take care of our animals and produce a quality product that is safe. We want consumers to be aware of that."



Copyright 2010 Sioux County Index-Reporter, Hull, Iowa. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from SmallTownPapers, Inc.

© 2011 Sioux County Index-Reporter Hull, Iowa. All Rights Reserved. This content, including derivations, may not be stored or distributed in any manner, disseminated, published, broadcast, rewritten or reproduced without express, written consent from DAS.

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