Land O'Lakes Upgrades Tulare Facility for Dairy Protein Market

Land O'Lakes is significantly upgrading its Tulare facility, the largest in its processing network, to produce ultra-filtered (UF) milk. This initiative involves the installation of advanced filtration technology, allowing the cooperative to supply UF milk as a functional ingredient to third-party manufacturers. These manufacturers use the UF milk to create high-protein beverages, Greek-style yogurts, cheeses, and specialized nutritional products.

The project leverages the existing infrastructure of the Tulare site, enabling rapid progress in construction and equipment installation. Land O'Lakes anticipates that the first phase of this project will be operational in the first quarter of the upcoming year. The filtration process concentrates milk solids by removing excess water and sugars, optimizing shipping economics, and capturing premium pricing in the growing health and nutrition markets.

This development also provides economic benefits to approximately 100 member-owners and farm families supplying raw milk in the Tulare region. By diverting milk into higher-value ultra-filtered streams, the project helps mitigate the challenges posed by stagnating domestic fluid milk consumption and regulatory pressures. This creates long-term demand and enhances farmgate returns per hundredweight.