Milk Marketing Advisory Council

The Milk Marketing Advisory Council (MMAC) brings producers, processors, retailers, and consumers together to provide insight and advice to the Department on programs and policies pertaining to the challenging issues facing the New York dairy industry.  

The MMAC was reconvened in 2016 under Commissioner Ball.  The Advisory Council is composed of more than two-dozen members from the dairy manufacturing and processing sectors and from dairy farmer cooperative associations. Additionally, milk consumers and milk retailers are also represented. The MMAC provides a forum for communication and networking between dairy community leaders to discuss issues such as the current milk market situation, increased production, and trade policies.

The following are the members of the Milk Marketing Advisory Council:

• Commissioner Richard A. Ball
• Dr. Andy Novakovic, Chair, Cornell University
• Craig Alexander, O-AT-KA Milk Products
• Mike Barnes, Agri-Mark
• Shawn Boockoff, Federal Milk Marketing Order
• John Chrisman, American Dairy Association North East
• James Davenport, Tollgate Farm
• Catherine de Ronde, Agri-Mark
• David Fisher, New York Farm Bureau
• Ed Gallagher, Dairy Farmers of America
• Dr. Ben Houlton, Cornell University
• Jodi Krzysiak Smith, Upstate Niagara Cooperative
• Christopher Laughton, Farm Credit East
• Sheila Marshman, SUNY Morrisville
• Chris Noble, Noblehurst Farms, Inc.
• Paula O’Brien, New York State Department of State
• Ed Schoen, Dairy Farmers of America
• Doug Shelmidine, Sheland Farms, LLC
• Tonya Van Slyke, Northeast Dairy Producers Association

There is no term limit for members of the Milk Marketing Advisory Council. No members of this board receive payment of expenses or other compensation in the performance of their duties as members, however, may be eligible to reimbursement of their ordinary and necessary travel expenses.