Montana State Prison dairy loses $1.5M after Darigold cuts contract

[Ptah]

The last load of raw milk left the ranch outside Montana State Prison on Dec. 27, drying up a decades-long run for the prison’s work program that was clipped by a shift in a single company’s global commerce policy.

Last year Darigold, the product brand for a dairy cooperative headquartered in Seattle, canceled its 30-year contract with the prison, forcing the state's prison work program, Montana Correctional Enterprises, to scale down its dairy operation from 350 head to about 70, enough to produce milk to self-sustain the Department of Correction's facilities around the state.

The end of the prison program’s contract translates to a $1.5 million loss to the work program and a reduced work program for adult male inmates housed at the facility outside of Deer Lodge. A spokesperson for the Department of Corrections said the entire effect of the loss of revenue won't be fully known for about a year as MCE adjusts to the lower capacity.

"At this point, we do not know the entire effect of the loss of revenue as we are still adjusting our inventory levels for feed and supplement for the animals," DOC spokesperson Carolynn Bright said. "MCE Agriculture is 100% self-supporting and does not receive a general fund appropriation. Instead, the loss is to MCE proprietary funds."

https://helenair.com/news/state-and-regional/govt-and-politics/montana-state-prison-dairy-loses-1-5m-after-darigold-cuts-contract/article_50489937-e6d7-54b9-89cb-ff2eed97ab51.html