(FREDON) – New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Douglas H. Fisher along with state, county and local officials celebrated New Jersey Dairy Week today with a visit to Springhouse Creamery in Sussex County. Governor Murphy signed a proclamation declaring June 23-29 as New Jersey Dairy Week.

Springhouse Creamery is owned and operated by Pete and Marilyn Southway. It has been established for 15 years and last year with new processing equipment began producing Jersey Fresh milk and cheeses, selling it in the Creamery’s own shop as well as delivering to several locations in the Sussex County region. New Jersey’s dairy farmers produce more than 120 million pounds of milk and added more than $22 million to the state’s economy, according to the recently released Census of Agriculture from the USDA.

“Springhouse Creamery has a great reputation for high quality and great tasting milk and cheeses that are becoming well known in the region,” Secretary Fisher said. “We are glad to celebrate New Jersey Dairy Week here.”

The Springhouse Creamery farm includes raising Jersey and Guernsey dairy cows as well as producing hay. Springhouse Creamery started glass bottle milk production last year as it uses milk from cows on its farm to make its Jersey Fresh Farmstead cheeses and milk, which is pasteurized as required by the New Jersey Department of Health. The milk is quickly cooled to 37 degrees after pasteurization.

“Our goal is to make delicious milk and cheese products that are healthy and enjoyable to consume,” Pete Southway said. “The increase of locations selling our dairy items during the past year is encouraging and we believe we have a bright future.”

Farmstead products are also sold at Hayek’s Market in Newton, Anderson Farms in Andover and Sparta, the Sussex County Farmer’s Market in Augusta, Sussex Meat Packing in Sussex, Ashley Farms in Flanders, Dreyer Farms in Cranford, Ideal Farm and Garden Center in Lafayette, and Abma’s Farm in Wyckoff.

In addition to milk, New Jersey dairy farms and processors provide consumers with creams, yogurts, butter, cheeses and other dairy products and maintain scenic vistas and open space, which enhances the quality of life for all state residents. 

From calcium to potassium, dairy products like milk contain nine essential nutrients to help lead a healthier lifestyle. Whether it's protein to help build and repair the muscle tissue of active bodies or vitamin A to help maintain healthy skin, dairy products are a natural nutrient powerhouse.

June is also National Dairy Month, which started as National Milk Month in 1937 to promote drinking milk. It has developed into an annual tradition that celebrates the contributions dairy farmers have made to the world.

To learn more about dairy products and the benefits they can provide, go to www.americandairy.com.

###

To learn more about the New Jersey Department of Agriculture, find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/NJDeptofAgriculture and www.facebook.com/JerseyFreshOfficial or Twitter @NJDA