Andrews University Dairy Farm Shutters After 111 Years

A 1,200-cow dairy farm that has operated on campus at private Andrews University in Michigan for 111 years will cease operations by summer 2019. The school’s Senior Vice President of Finance Larry Schalk decided to close the farm, which has been unprofitable for the school as consumer habits continue to shift. “In the last two to three years, we have lost between $750,000 and $900,000 a year,” Stephen Payne, the school’s vice president of integrated marketing and communication said. As the dairy industry continues to plummet, some former dairy companies are taking advantage of the emerging demand for plant-based alternatives, including Elmhurst Milked—which operated at New York City’s last dairy processing plant until it converted into a profitable vegan milk brand last year.