Dairy Farmers of America

Dairy Farmers of America operates a dairy processing and distribution facility at 100 McKinley Avenue in Reading, Pennsylvania, within Berks County in the southeastern part of the state. The site functions as part of the cooperative's broader network of plants and logistics points, handling milk and dairy products that move between member farms and the commercial customers who buy them. The Reading location is primarily an industrial and commercial operation rather than a retail storefront, and much of its day-to-day activity involves freight, shipping and receiving.

The facility can be reached by phone at +1 610-929-5736.

About the Cooperative

Dairy Farmers of America is a national dairy marketing cooperative owned by dairy farm families across the United States. It was formed in 1998 through the merger of four regional cooperatives: Mid-America Dairymen, Associated Milk Producers Incorporated's Southern Region, Milk Marketing Incorporated and Western Dairymen Cooperative. That consolidation created one of the largest milk marketing organizations in the country, with a membership base spanning dozens of states.

The cooperative structure is central to how the organization works. Member farmers own the business collectively, and the cooperative markets their raw milk, negotiates with buyers, manages transportation and operates manufacturing plants that convert raw milk into finished goods. Products associated with the organization and its family of brands include fluid milk, cheese, butter, cream, ice cream mixes, dairy powders, condensed milk and ingredients sold to food manufacturers and foodservice operators. The cooperative also supplies private-label dairy products to grocery retailers.

Pennsylvania has a long and significant dairy history, and Berks County sits in the middle of a region where dairy farming has been practiced for generations. A facility in this part of the state places the cooperative close to both a substantial supply of raw milk and the dense population centers of the Mid-Atlantic corridor, including Philadelphia, Baltimore, New York and the surrounding suburbs.

What Happens at the Reading Facility

Operations at a dairy site of this type generally follow a continuous rhythm. Raw milk arrives from member farms by tanker, is tested and stored under refrigeration, and is then processed, packaged or transferred onward. Finished and bulk products are loaded onto outbound trucks for delivery to processors, distributors, retailers and foodservice accounts. Because dairy is a perishable, temperature-controlled commodity, the schedule runs across multiple shifts, including evenings and overnight periods, so that milk keeps moving without delay.

For that reason, the Reading location is a familiar stop for commercial drivers working refrigerated freight lanes in eastern Pennsylvania. Carriers arrive to pick up and drop off loads, and the site's proximity to major regional highways makes it a practical point on routes serving the Northeast. The volume of truck traffic means the facility is set up around dock access, load scheduling and coordination with drivers rather than walk-in customer service.

Access and Practical Information

Visitors should be aware of a few specifics about getting into the property:

• The street address is 100 McKinley Avenue, Reading, PA 19605.
• Loading dock access is associated with Garfield Avenue, so drivers should confirm which entrance applies to their appointment before arriving.
• There is a phone at the entrance door that connects to the office, which is the standard method of announcing arrival and checking in.
• The entrance is wheelchair accessible, and the parking lot includes wheelchair accessible parking.
• The main office line is +1 610-929-5736 for appointment questions, scheduling and general inquiries.

As with most food-grade processing and distribution facilities, drivers and visitors can expect standard safety and sanitation requirements, including check-in procedures and restrictions on where people may walk on the property. Appointment times matter, and calling ahead with a bill of lading or purchase order reference tends to make the check-in process move more smoothly. Drivers unfamiliar with the site often find it helpful to confirm gate and dock instructions with their dispatcher or the receiving office in advance, since large facilities of this kind frequently have separate entrances for tankers, dry freight and refrigerated trailers.

The Surrounding Area

Reading is the county seat of Berks County and one of the larger cities in eastern Pennsylvania. The McKinley Avenue location sits in the northern portion of the Reading area, with access to Route 61, Route 222 and connections toward Interstate 78 and the Pennsylvania Turnpike. The wider landscape is characteristic of the region: rolling farmland, wooded ridges and small boroughs scattered between the larger towns. Drivers coming from outside the state often remark on the scenery along the approach, particularly the views of the ridgelines that run through the county.

The area also offers the practical amenities that long-haul drivers need. Truck stops, fuel, diners and repair services are available along the nearby highway corridors, and Reading itself has a full range of hotels, restaurants and services for anyone laying over between loads.

Role in the Regional Dairy Economy

Facilities like the one in Reading serve a function that is largely invisible to the average grocery shopper but essential to the supply chain. Milk is produced every day on farms that cannot store it indefinitely, which means collection, testing, processing and distribution have to operate on a tight and reliable schedule. A cooperative-owned plant provides member farmers with a guaranteed outlet for their milk and a mechanism for marketing it at scale, while giving buyers a consistent, quality-controlled supply.

The cooperative model also means that decisions about the business are made with farmer-owners in mind. Members receive payment for the milk they deliver and share in the cooperative's returns, and the organization handles the marketing, hauling and manufacturing work that individual farms could not manage on their own. For the Reading area, the facility represents both a link in that national system and a local employer connected to the agricultural economy of Berks County and the surrounding region.

Contacting the Facility

For delivery appointments, pickup scheduling, freight questions or general inquiries related to this location, the office can be reached by phone during business hours.