The Tradition Continues at the 2026 World Dairy Expo
The Prairie Farms Family of Companies Earns 47 Awards Across Multiple Dairy Categories
Prairie Farms Dairy, Hiland Dairy and Belfonte Dairy earned a combined 47 awards at the 2026 World Dairy Expo Championship Dairy Product Contest, including 12 first-place honors.
The winning products represent an impressive range of dairy categories, from cheese and fluid milk to cottage cheese, yogurt, sour cream, dips, and frozen desserts. Together, Prairie Farms Dairy earned 28 awards, Hiland Dairy earned 18, and Belfonte Dairy earned one.
Strong Showings Across the Family of Companies
Several Categories Delivered Standout Results
In the White Milk (2% Only) category, the Prairie Farms Family of Companies captured all three top spots. Hiland Dairy’s Conroe, Texas, plant earned first place, Hiland Dairy Wichita took second and Prairie Farms Dairy Olney, Illinois, finished third.
Prairie Farms Dairy also swept the Fat Free Chocolate Milk category, with products from Rockford, Illinois; Anderson, Indiana; and Dubuque, Iowa, taking first, second and third place.
“This recognition reflects the commitment to quality that begins with our dairy farm families and continues through every one of our plants and teams,” said Matt McClelland, CEO of the Prairie Farms Family of Companies. “To have products from so many categories and locations recognized among the best in the country is something our entire organization can be proud of. These awards represent the care, consistency, and craftsmanship our employees bring to the products families enjoy every day.”
12 First-Place Winners
First-place honors went to products produced across the Prairie Farms Family of Companies, including:
- Caves of Faribault AmaBlu Blue Cheese, Faribault, Minnesota
- Hiland Dairy 2% White Milk, Conroe, Texas
- Prairie Farms Fat Free Chocolate Milk, Rockford, Illinois
- Prairie Farms Strawberry Milk, Carlinville, Illinois
- Hiland Dairy Bulgarian Style Buttermilk, Fort Smith, Arkansas
- Prairie Farms 2% Reduced Fat Milk UHT, Granite City, Illinois
- Hiland Dairy Lactose-Free Vitamin D Milk, Dallas, Texas
- Hiland Dairy Blueberry Yogurt, Wichita, Kansas
- Prairie Farms 2% Small Curd Cottage Cheese, Quincy, Illinois
- Hiland Dairy 1% Cottage Cheese, Wichita, Kansas
- Hiland Dairy Lite Sour Cream, Omaha, Nebraska
- Prairie Farms French Onion Dip, Carbondale, Illinois
- Caves of Faribault AmaBlu Blue Cheese, Faribault, Minnesota
- Hiland Dairy 2% White Milk, Conroe, Texas
- Prairie Farms Fat Free Chocolate Milk, Rockford, Illinois
- Prairie Farms Strawberry Milk, Carlinville, Illinois
- Hiland Dairy Bulgarian Style Buttermilk, Fort Smith, Arkansas
- Prairie Farms 2% Reduced Fat Milk UHT, Granite City, Illinois
- Caves of Faribault AmaBlu Blue Cheese, Faribault, Minnesota
- Hiland Dairy 2% White Milk, Conroe, Texas
- Prairie Farms Fat Free Chocolate Milk, Rockford, Illinois
- Prairie Farms Strawberry Milk, Carlinville, Illinois
- Hiland Dairy Bulgarian Style Buttermilk, Fort Smith, Arkansas
- Prairie Farms 2% Reduced Fat Milk UHT, Granite City, Illinois
Quality Across Categories and Locations
Prairie Farms Dairy earned recognition for products including cheese, white and flavored milk, UHT and lactose-free milk, whipping cream, yogurt, cottage cheese, dips, and frozen novelties.
Hiland Dairy’s winning lineup included white milk, chocolate and lowfat chocolate milk, buttermilk, lactose-free milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, sour cream, dips, drinkable yogurt, ice cream and sherbet. Belfonte Dairy also earned second place for its Raspberry Sherbet.
Across the Prairie Farms Family of Companies, the awards reflect the work of dairy farm families and employees who are committed to producing high-quality dairy products every day.
2026 World Dairy Expo Champions
The Prairie Farms Family of Companies earned:
