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Ten years ago, the future of the Michigan turkey industry looked grim after the state's major live turkey processor, Sara Lee, announced that it no longer needed Michigan birds for Thanksgiving. So, a group of 15 turkey farmers committed to keeping the state's turkey industry alive came together and formed the Michigan Turkey Producers Cooperative (MTPC).
"Growers had no place to take their turkeys," recalls Dan Lennon, CEO and president of MTPC, who was a member of that initial group of producers. "They either had to build their own plant, or go out of business."
Because of the group's entrepreneurial actions and subsequent growth over the past decade, the Michigan Turkey Producers Cooperative was named the winner of the Michigan State...