Heather Schofield, Communications Manager of Dairy Farmers of America, one of the largest cooperatives in the nation, presented "DFA's Role in Today's Dairy Industry" to the 40 attendees of this month's Agribusiness Forum. DFA has members from 48 states, with numbers of members nearing 18,000. Members are guaranteed a market; meaning that DFA will purchase dairy farmers milk and sell it using economies of scale. This enables DFA to sell large quantities of milk to milk retailers and to dairy product companies who produces items such as cheese, yogurt and butter. They have also endeavored to increase the demand for milk by using some for their own production of Border's cheese, powdered milk for brands such as Starbuck's, creating Sport Shake-a milkshake energy drink, and joining together with Keller's creamery to make butter. Heather described to her audience the many ventures that Dairy Farmers of America have taken to help in repairing a falling economy.