NEW ULM — A $10,000 product donation by Hydrite and New Ulm-based Associated Milk Producers, Inc. (AMPI), is helping ensure the health and safety of students and staff at New Ulm area schools.

AMPI employees distributed 320 gallons of hand sanitizer donated by the co-op’s longtime cleaning product supplier Hydrite. They also delivered 540 pounds of the co-op’s Dinner Bell Creamery butter – one pound for every staff member.

The donations align with AMPI’s values as a leading food manufacturer, said Mike Wolkow, AMPI senior vice president of operations. The dairy farmer-owned company produces about 10 percent of the nation’s American-style cheese and butter.

“Safe people and safe food are priorities for every employee of AMPI,” said Wolkow, the parent of two students attending New Ulm schools. “These donations are one way we can be good neighbors and contributors in the communities where we live, work and our children go to school.”

AMPI has two locations in New Ulm: its corporate office and the co-op’s butter manufacturing plant. Schools receiving the donation included New Ulm Public Schools, Minnesota Valley Lutheran High School, St. Paul’s Lutheran School and New Ulm Area Catholic Schools.

AMPI is headquartered in New Ulm and owned by dairy farm families from Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota and North Dakota. The cooperative’s award-winning cheese, butter and powdered dairy products are marketed to foodservice, retail and food ingredient customers. The co-op launched its Dinner Bell Creamery brand and accompanying Co-op Crafted promise in 2019, highlighting more than 50 years of dairy farm families partnering with skilled buttermakers and cheesemakers.