Cooperative Announces Management Transition Plan
Statesville, NC, Jan. 09, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Appalachian Dairy Farmers Cooperative (ADFC) announced today that it has reached an agreement in principle with T.C. Jacoby & Co. (Jacoby) under which Jacoby will assume the marketing and management responsibilities of ADFC and provide all related services effective January 1, 2027.
These marketing and management responsibilities are currently provided by Piedmont Milk Sales, LLC (Piedmont). Piedmont will continue to maintain these responsibilities and provide these services throughout 2026. During this period, Piedmont will work closely with Jacoby to ensure a smooth and successful transition.
As part of the transition, ADFC also plans to introduce new branding, including a new logo. Additional details regarding the new brand identity will be shared later. The updated branding reflects the cooperative’s continued evolution and its commitment to long term continuity, service, and growth.
Mike Jackson, President of Piedmont Milk Sales, LLC, will continue working with Jacoby after January 1, 2027, assisting with the management and marketing services for ADFC.
“This cooperative has always been built around one core principle, the farmer is at the heart of everything we do,” said Mike Jackson, President of Piedmont Milk Sales, LLC. “Serving dairy farmers and protecting their markets has been our top priority for decades. This transition represents a strong opportunity for ADFC farmers because it ensures continuity, stability, and experienced leadership well into the future while allowing the cooperative to continue adapting to a changing dairy marketplace.”
“We are proud of Mike Jackson and his team’s work and how they’ve served dairy farmers,” said Maxie Aker, President of the ADFC Board of Directors. “This transition will ensure strong leadership with the same values we’ve appreciated over the years.”
This decision was jointly made with full cooperation among ADFC, Piedmont, and Jacoby in order to assure continuity for ADFC operations well into the future. Customers of ADFC can be confident in the cooperative’s ability to continue meeting their needs for raw milk for processing throughout the transition and beyond.
Gus Jacoby, President of Fluid Group Operations, T.C. Jacoby & Co., said “We are honored to have the opportunity to work with Appalachian Dairy Farmers Cooperative and its members. Jacoby has a long history of supporting farmer owned organizations, and we look forward to building on the strong foundation established by ADFC and Piedmont. Our goal is to provide consistent, reliable marketing and management services that help farmers succeed today and remain competitive for years to come.”
About Appalachian Dairy Farmers Cooperative
Appalachian Dairy Farmers Cooperative (ADFC) was formed in 2018 by a group of independent dairy farmers who recognized that changing market conditions required them to organize as a cooperative to maintain their milk markets. Prior to ADFC’s formation, milk from these farms had been marketed by Piedmont Milk Sales as independent producer milk since 1991. Beginning June 1, 2018, all member milk has been marketed through ADFC under a Management Services Agreement with Piedmont Milk Sales.
By design, ADFC is structured to allow dairy farmers to maintain as much independence as possible while operating as a cooperative. ADFC currently markets milk from dairy farmer members in five Southeastern states including North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, Georgia, and South Carolina. ADFC is governed by a Board of Directors that oversees cooperative operations. The Board’s long-standing direction has been to pay out as much as possible through monthly milk checks, and the cooperative maintains no capital retains.
Amanda Lucey Appalachian Dairy Farmers Cooperative 678-591-6357 amanda.lucey@alloycrew.com
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