Associated Milk Producers Inc. (AMPI) might wear a cheesy grin, but it churns up solid sales. The dairy cooperative transforms (a record) about 5.8 billion pounds of milk into butter, cheese, fluid milk, and other dairy products each and every year. A regional co-op with some 2,800 member/farmers in six states across the Midwest, AMPI operates about a dozen manufacturing plants. In addition to its State Brand and Cass-Clay brand, Associated Milk Producers also makes private-label products for food retailers, fast-food restaurants (including McDonald's), and other food service operators. It also makes dairy ingredients for food manufacturers.