Cornell’s Milk Quality Improvement Program has awarded Stewart’s Shops the top honors for 2020 with New York state’s annual fluid milk competition. Cornell awarded Stewart's the best milk in all of New York state.

The Milk Quality Improvement Program named Stewart’s milk, and chocolate milk, the best tasting in the state. They announced the award during a virtual awards ceremony for its annual fluid milk competition. Stewart’s topped a field of 21 dairies from across the state.

“Congratulations to our dairy processors and our dairy farmers behind these fantastic products,” said Richard Ball, commissioner for the Department of Agriculture and Markets. “We know New York produces some of the best milk there is, and I am honored to join Cornell in sharing these stories of success with all New Yorkers.”

Stewart’s won the competition five times previously, most recently in 2017, and has finished second twice. Another local dairy producer, Stoltzfus Family Dairy in Vernon Center, won the flavored-milk category for its pasteurized, non-homogenized mocha and latte “cream line” milk.

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Stewart's partners with 23 local dairy farms to source their raw milk.

According to Stewart’s Shops president, Gary Dake, “With roots in dairy, we pride ourselves on our longstanding history of providing fresh and local milk to our customers. This Best Milk award is a testament to our hard-working dairy farmers and our experience in the dairy industry. Our customers can feel good about buying their milk and ice cream from Stewart’s Shops knowing that they are supporting local dairy farmers. We are so proud to take top honors in both the milk and chocolate milk categories.”

New York has nearly 4,000 dairy farms that produce nearly 15 billion pounds of milk annually, making it the nation’s fourth-largest dairy state, according to the Department of Agriculture and Markets. New York is the only state to hold a regular milk-quality review for its dairy producers.

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