Title: Consolidated Badger Cooperative, Shawano, Wisconsin, Records
Inclusive Dates: 1928-1983

Creator:

• Consolidated Badger Cooperative (Shawano, Wis.)

Call Number: Green Bay Mss 104; Green Bay Micro 44; Micro 999; PH 5069; AC 298; AC 308-AC 309; AE 459-AE 461; CA 931-CA 932; CC 811-CC 882; DD 512; VBA 543

Quantity: 7.0 cubic feet (7 records center cartons), 0.2 cubic feet of photographs, 2 reels of microfilm (35 mm), 11 reels of film, and 1 videorecording

Repository:

Housed at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay Archives and Area Research Center and at the Wisconsin Historical Society, Division of Library, Archives, and Museum Collections; owned by the Wisconsin Historical Society, Division of Library, Archives, and Museum Collections

Archival Locations:

UW-Green Bay Cofrin Library / Green Bay Area Research Ctr. (Map)

Wisconsin Historical Society (Map)

COLLECTION MAY BE STORED OFF-SITE: see catalog entry to request materials and for additional information.

Abstract:

Records of a Shawano-based agricultural cooperative formed in 1931 to market north-central Wisconsin dairy products. Growing to a world-wide market force, the cooperative changed its name from Badger Cooperative to Consolidated Badger Cooperative and then to Morning Glory Farms in 1985. The records include a historical file, minutes of meetings, annual reports, annual financial reports, lists of directors and officers, legal papers, milk production records, union and labor contract records, and other organizational records of the cooperative. There are also records of dairies and dairy production plants in northern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, which merged with CBC over the years. These records include a few corporate records and information on each plant's financial condition collected by CBC at the time of the proposed merger. In 1986, Morning Glory Farms merged with the Midstates Region of Associated Milk Producers Inc. to become the Morning Glory Farms Region of Associated Milk Producers Inc. Records created after the merger are accessioned separately as records of the Associated Milk Producers, Morning Glory Farms Region.

Language: English

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-gb0104

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The Consolidated Badger Cooperative has its roots in the desire of Shawano County, Wisconsin farmers to produce and market cheese as a cooperative endeavor. Spearheaded by Shawano County agent George F. Baumeister and the Perfect Seed Circle, a committee was formed in October 1929 to develop a program. (The Perfect Seed Circle had been organized in 1917 to promote better crop production techniques and persuade farmers to use improved seed varieties developed at the University of Wisconsin. During the next twelve years, the Circle evolved into an organization of local community leaders, businessmen, and farmers.) At the time of the 1929 meeting, milk prices were low. There were numerous farms and over 100 cheese factories in Shawano County, together producing too much milk and cheese, but each too small to make a profit. Circle members asked Baumeister to study the situation. He responded by planning for a single large dairy cooperative.

A prospectus and articles of incorporation of the proposed cooperative were drafted and the plan approved at a meeting of farmers and cheesemakers on November 27, 1929, although some cheesemakers opposed the idea. The articles were signed by Dr. O.F. Partridge, T.A. Loken, O.B. Hagen, Otto Kroening, and Albert Klebesadel on December 4, 1929. However, the articles were not approved by the committee, and several additional meetings and conferences were held. In the spring of 1930, University of Wisconsin agricultural experts conducted a survey of farms and cheese factories, to build cooperation among all interested groups. In the fall, a number of local meetings were held to assess the level of community support for a cooperative. Baumeister and local attorney Matt Wallrich eventually were able to secure a 50,000 dollar grant from the Federal Farm Board, and to persuade enough farmers to sign five-year contracts for milk deliveries to permit the cooperative to begin operations.

In April 1931, the cooperative opened its first plant at Mattoon, Wisconsin. Plants at Shawano and Eland and others merged with Badger Cooperative (as it was then known) in its first few months of operation. The onset of the Depression hurt the cooperative, but its treasurer arranged for sufficient cash from the First Wisconsin National Bank in Milwaukee to redeem all milk checks and pay farmers. Wallrich was able to enforce all of the farmers' contracts as well, and by the time the contracts had expired, the cooperative was firmly established.

The cooperative expanded its operations under the leadership of general manager Frank Stone (1931-1935) and salesman and general manager George Rupple (1936-1969), eventually becoming the largest operating cooperative in Wisconsin. In 1931, Rupple secured the first Chicago Grade A cream permit issued to a northern Wisconsin dairy, opening that market to the cooperative. In 1933, CBC built a condensery and began producing evaporated milk, which eventually became the cornerstone of the cooperative's marketing program. Cans of Badger evaporated milk were shipped all over the world during World War II. During the 1930s, CBC formed Appleton Milk Products Cooperative and Outagamie Milk and Produce Company to produce evaporated milk, butter, and whey. In 1938, the cooperative was a co-founder of Tri-County Breeders Cooperative (later Midwest Breeders Cooperative), also managed by Rupple, who held both jobs until his death in 1969. Rupple was succeeded as general manager by Neil McBeath (1970-1974) and Archie Smith (from 1975).

Following World War II, CBC built plants in Appleton and Wittenberg, but employee strikes in 1947 and 1949 hampered operations. In 1951, CBC originated its Morning Glory Division, bottling, producing, using, and marketing milk, ice cream, and cultured dairy products. The Morning Glory line grew to become the most visible part of CBC's public image. By 1981, the Morning Glory plant at DePere used 171 million pounds of milk, or about 14 percent of CBC's total production, and produced 1.7 million gallons of ice cream for total sales of 45.5 million dollars, 19 percent of CBC's total sales.

Over the years, 68 cooperatives and non-cooperative plants in northern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan have been combined into Consolidated Badger Cooperative. Major mergers occurred in 1962 and 1963 when Medford Cooperative Creamery and the Hub Dairy Cooperative, Marshfield, joined CBC. A large cheese plant was constructed in Green Bay in 1980. During the mid-1960s, CBC joined the Central Milk Producers Cooperative to market milk in the Chicago area.

The cooperative celebrated its 50th anniversary in 1981, at which time 2200 families in 11 districts were owners-members of the cooperative, governed by a board of directors. During 1981, the cooperative marketed 1.17 billion pounds of milk and had sales of over 212 million dollars for member-owners. Six plants, including the largest cooperative milk bottling plant in Wisconsin, produce a full line of dairy products.

At the 1985 annual meeting, Consolidated Badger Cooperative members approved “Morning Glory Farms” as the cooperative's new name.

For additional information, consult the 50th anniversary and history folders located in Box 1 of Green Bay Mss 104.

The collection has been arranged in three series: General Records of Consolidated Badger Cooperative, Corporate Records of Companies Merged with Consolidated Badger Cooperative, and Visual Materials. Together the series document fairly well the milk production and dairy products distribution operations of the cooperative in northern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

The history and activities of the CBC are well illustrated in the files of general news clippings; clippings about the strikes of 1947 and 1949; anniversary programs, brochures, and articles created and collected for the cooperative's 50th anniversary; a file entitled “Early Thoughts on Improvements,” 1928-1931; transcripts of oral history interviews of George F. Baumeister, Joe Duffek, and Ed Engebretson; and an award nomination, press releases, and speech of Baumeister's. Additional information about the history of the cooperative may be found in the file of real estate transactions (Box 6, Folder 17), which records acquisitions of dairies and firms, mergers, purchases of equipment, funds raised and loans, and real estate transactions considered and rejected. Most of this information was compiled from the cooperative's minutes. The “general files” in Box 1 contain a variety of form letters, articles, and printed and near-print material.

Printed annual reports of the cooperative span the dates 1931-1983, and are supplemented by lists of directors and officers. The financial records of CBC consist only of annual financial reports, 1931-1961. Records of lawsuits and other legal transactions consist of legal documents, notes, correspondence, and related material concerning business-related activities and lawsuits, and real estate sales.

On two reels of microfilm are minutes of the cooperative's annual and board meetings, with articles of association and by-laws drafted in 1929. Minutes of annual stockholders' meetings also include ballots for election of directors, resolutions, financial statements, and minutes of periodic board meetings for the early years. Later files contain only minutes, financial statements, and some financial records of district meetings. The minutes of district meetings do not consist of formal minutes, but rather are ballots, attendance lists, and notes. Some minutes are available only on microfilm; originals of the minutes are in private possession.

There is a small file of CBC newsletters, 1950-1952, entitled “Badger Personalities” (formerly “Badger Personnel- ities”), which supplement the complete run of “Badger Briefs” newsletters, 1931-July 1984, available at the University of Wisconsin's Steenbock Memorial Library.

CBC production records are comprised of a summary document listing various milk production totals for 1931-1980, and annual summaries, 1943, 1945-1983, listing production, use, and sales totals for milk, powdered milk, cream, condensed milk, ice cream mix, butter, and cheese for CBC departments and branches.

The union and labor records include a lengthy run of standard labor contracts and documents related to agreements between CBC and Teamsters' Union locals throughout the CBC pickup and delivery area. There are a few records, mainly clippings in the historical files, and memos written during negotiations, pertaining to the 1949 strike. Concerning contract negotiations, there are files and contracts and contract proposals, correspondence, memoranda, notes, seniority lists, and similar materials, mainly generated by CBC officials during labor negotiations or at a time of shutdown or consolidation of facilities or delivery routes. There are files regarding local union #328, Escanaba, Michigan, which negotiated with the Asselin Creamery Co., a division of CBC; CBC Fluid Milk and Manufacturing Divisions; Hancock Dairy, Hancock, Michigan; and CBC-owned plants in Seymour, Sheboygan, Fond du Lac, Oshkosh, Appleton, West DePere, Sturgeon Bay, Iola, Marshfield, and Shawano.

Corporate Records of Companies Merged with Consolidated Badger Cooperative include a variety of materials concerning several Wisconsin and Michigan dairy plants. There are a few organizational records, such as articles of incorporation and corporation record books (containing basic organizational record books, which contain basic organizational records and minutes) for Outagamie Milk and Produce Co. and Shawano Creamery Co. For Asselin Creamery Co., Bancroft Dairy, Bridgeman-Russel Co., Central Dairy Sales Cooperative, Gehl Dairy Farms, Hancock Dairy Co., Hergert Dairy, Melody Dairy Inc., Portage Cooperative Creamery and Westfield Cooperative Dairy, and Rice Lake Creamery Co., there are mainly audit reports and CBC-created records of each company's financial condition at the time of merger. These financial records include such information as accounts payable and receivable, production and sales records, employee data, and other basic accounting details.

The Visual Materials include photographs and films. The photographs, 1940s-1970s, document dairy production and meetings of Cooperative members. The films, 1930s-1978, document the Consolidated Badger Cooperative and Morning Glory Farms’ products, facilities, activities, and history, including footage of the first strike at Badger Co-op, butter production, dairying, and discussion panels on agricultural issues.

See also the Associated Milk Producers, Morning Glory Farms Region Records.

Acquisition Information

Presented by Consolidated Badger Cooperative, Shawano, Wisconsin, via Frank Meyer, 1968 and via John H. Lang, 1984. Accession Number: M68-204, M84-264, M97-013

Processing Information

Processed by Menzi Behrnd-Klodt and Alex Draghicchio, 1986.

Green Bay Mss 104	Series: General Records of Consolidated Badger Cooperative
Box   1 Folder   1-2	50th Anniversary files, 1981
	Historical materials
Box   1 Folder   3	“Early Thoughts on Improvements”: background, 1928-1931
Box   1 Folder   4-5	News clippings
Box   1 Folder   6	Strikes: clippings and papers, 1947, 1949
Box   1 Folder   7	George F. Baumeister, Joe Duffek, and Ed Engebretson oral history transcripts
Box   1 Folder   8	Baumeister, George F.: award nomination, press releases, speech
Box   1 Folder   9-11	General files
Box   1 Folder   12-15	Annual reports, 1931-1983
Box   1 Folder   16	Miscellaneous annual reports
Box   1 Folder   17	Lists of directors and officers
	Annual financial reports
Box   1 Folder   18-22	1931-1949
Box   2 Folder   1-4	1950-1961
	Lawsuits and legal papers
Box   2 Folder   5	CBC v. King and CBC v. Berken, 1966-1967
Box   2 Folder   6	Huser v. CBC, 1956-1959
Box   2 Folder   7	Link v. CBC, 1955-1957
Box   2 Folder   8	NFO Meeting; Owen Dairies Plant Closing; Sanna Dairies Inc. Real Estate Sales
Box   2 Folder   9	State of Wisconsin, Outagamie County v. CBC, 1962-1963
	Minutes
Green Bay Micro 44 / Micro 999	Annual and board meetings
Reel   1	Articles of association and by-laws, 1929
Reel   1	1930-1948
Reel   2	1949-1982
Green Bay Mss 104	Annual meetings
Box   2 Folder   10-11	1937-1938
Box   2 Folder   13-19	1939-1945
Box   3 Folder   1-16	1946-1962
Box   2 Folder   12	Special meeting, 1938
	District meetings
Box   3 Folder   17-18	1968-1969
Box   4 Folder   1-3	1970-1972
	Newsletters
Box   4 Folder   4	Badger Personalities (formerly Badger Personnel-ities), 1950-1952
Box   4 Folder   5	Badger Briefs, 1966-1967
	Production records
Box   4 Folder   6	Milk production statistics, 1931-1980
	Production summaries
Box   4 Folder   7-16	1943, 1945-1977
Box   5 Folder   1-2	1978-1983
	Union and Labor records
	Labor contracts
Box   5 Folder   3	1944-1951 Note: With legal documents and strike records.
Box   5 Folder   4-16	1954-1972
Box   6 Folder   1-2	1971-1973
	Negotiations files
Box   6 Folder   3-6	Local Union #328, Escanaba, Michigan, 1958-1967
Box   6 Folder   7-9	Fluid Milk Division, 1961-1963
Box   6 Folder   10	General files
Box   6 Folder   11	Hancock Dairy, Hancock, Michigan, 1953-1962
Box   6 Folder   12-13	Manufacturing Division, 1960-1963
Box   6 Folder   14	Seymour Plant, 1958-1967
Box   6 Folder   15	Sheboygan, Fond du Lac and Oshkosh, Appleton
Box   6 Folder   16	West DePere and Sturgeon Bay, Iola, Marshfield, Shawano
Box   6 Folder   17	Real estate transaction records
	Series: Corporate Records of Companies Merged with Consolidated Badger Cooperative	⇧
Box   7 Folder   1	Asselin Creamery Company, Norway, Michigan
Box   7 Folder   2	Bancroft Dairy, Marquette, Michigan
Box   7 Folder   3	Bridgeman-Russell Company, Hancock, Michigan
	Central Dairy Sales Cooperative
Box   7 Folder   4-5	Audits, 1951-1956
Box   7 Folder   6-8	Audit work sheets, 1950-1957
Box   7 Folder   9	Gehl Dairy Farms
Box   7 Folder   10	Hancock Dairy Company
Box   7 Folder   11	Hergert Dairy, Oshkosh
Box   7 Folder   12-13	Melody Dairy Inc., Appleton
	Outagamie Milk and Produce Company
Box   7 Folder   14	Audit report, 1938
Box   7 Folder   15	Corporation record book
	Portage Cooperative Creamery and Westfield Cooperative Dairy, Westfield
Box   7 Folder   16-17	Audits, blueprints, and other papers
Box   7 Folder   18	Rice Lake Creamery Company
	Shawano Creamery Company
Box   7 Folder   19	Articles of association and amendments
Box   7 Folder   20	Corporation record book
	Series: Visual Materials	⇧
PH 5069	Photographs, 1940s-1970s Note: Includes photographs of milk, cheese, and other dairy production, and meetings of Cooperative members.
	Films
AE 459	It's a Morning Glory Day, 1986 Physical Description: 1 film reel: sound, color; 16 mm  Note: The movie is composed from still-shot photos with a narrator and music in the background. The movie looks at the past, present, and future of Morning Glory Farms.
AE 460	1st Strike at Badger, circa 1947 Physical Description: 1 film reel (77 feet): silent, color and black and white; 16 mm  Note: This film shows the Shawano factory and a strike taking place outside the building. There are images of men picketing with signs saying things like “We can't pay our store bills” and “Dairy unfair to AFL Truck Drivers Local 561.”
AE 461	[Butter Factory; Milk Can Production], circa 1930s Physical Description: 1 film reel (198 feet): silent, black and white; 16 mm  Note: The film features a segment on butter production. It takes the viewer through a step-by-step process. It shows a machine called the “Detroit Roto Stoker.” Then the film moves on to infants on a sled. The film closes with advertising footage with a baby sitting in a high chair holding a can of Badger Consolidated Evaporated Milk.
CC 881	Self Help Program, 1954 Physical Description: 1 film reel (585 feet): optical sound, black and white; 16 mm  Note: A panel discussion about the “Self Help Program,” a program designed to help the dairy farmer be more self-reliant and less reliant on federal subsidies. Five prominent men in the dairy farming industry give presentations: Paul Affeldt, president of the Pure Milk Association; Ted Walton, Master State Grange; Jack Kyle – Wisconsin Association of Co-operatives; William C. Eckles – Pure Milk Products; and Harry Wilson, Badger Breeders.
CC 882	The Agricultural Marketing Act, circa 1949-1953 Physical Description: 1 film reel: optical sound, black and white; 16 mm  Note: This film is a panel discussion between Governor Gaylord Nelson, William C. Eckles, and Robert G. Lewis. William C. Eckles was the moderator though it appears to be a scripted discussion. The discussion centered around legislation pending in the fall special session that year regarding agriculture including bills 810A and 6575.
AC 931	The Morning Glory Story, circa 1950s Physical Description: 1 film reel (710 feet): optical sound, color; 16 mm  Note: This film is a 1950s marketing scenario involving a man who has recently started working at Morning Glory Farms. He describes the way Morning Glory operates on a day-to-day basis to his wife. The dialogue and images emphasize the modern-ness of the Morning Glory facilities.
AC 308-AC 309	[Consolidated Badger Cooperative early years], circa 1930s Physical Description: 2 film reels: silent, black and white; 16 mm  Note: Includes shots of Consolidated Badger Co-op activities during the early years of operation. Includes footage of a farmer with cattle, milk pick-up and delivery, processing, testing, and storage of milk.
AC 298	[Ed Engebretsen interview], circa 1978 Physical Description: 1 film reel (190 feet): sound, color; 16 mm  Note: An interview with Ed Engebretsen, president of Consolidated Badger Cooperative, on the occasion of his retirement after 37 years.
CA 932	All Hands Secure Physical Description: 1 film reel (562 feet): sound, color; 16 mm  Note: Produced for the Dairy Operating Cooperative. Story of the Fred and Mary Collins family and how they got started in a farming cooperative. The cooperative is used to insure guaranteed markets, realistic profits, a secured income, financial security, and a future in farming for all farmers.
DD 512	The Economics of Democracy Physical Description: 1 film reel (990 feet): sound, black and white; 16 mm  Note: Produced for American Institute of Cooperation with the Nebraska Cooperative Council. A lecture on how businesses work in a free market society. Emphasizes the merits of unregulated competition and argues that government protection of certain industries ultimately hurts the consumer.
VBA 543	The Dairy Challenge and You, 1977 Physical Description: 1 videotape (U-Matic): sound, color; 3/4-inch  Note: Produced by WBAY-TV. Fox Valley, Wisconsin, consumers call in to a four-member panel to ask questions about dairying.