AMITE, La. (This Week in Louisiana Agriculture) — Louisiana’s dairy industry has declined sharply over the years, with much of the milk sold in the state now coming from outside its borders.
Darrel Sinagra of Sinagra Family Dairy says operations like his are trying to keep more milk production in-state: “Louisiana is a deficit state. I don’t know exactly how many, but it’s only two or three truckloads a day produced in Louisiana, but Louisiana probably brings in 20 or 30 trucks a day. So that milk is coming from all over. You don’t know how old it is, where it’s from, and here at least they can see this operation.”
In addition to helping rebuild local dairy production, the operation is creating jobs in the rural community.
The Sinagras currently employ five people and hope to continue growing the business. They say building that team has become one of the most rewarding parts of the operation.
“We called it Sinagra Family Dairy, just thinking about our immediate family,” explains Darrel’s son, Miles Sinagra. “Now the employees and team members that we’ve hired on have said that they feel like they’re part of the family.”
Darrel says seeing the next generation continue the family’s dairy legacy has been especially meaningful.
While Louisiana’s dairy industry remains far smaller than it once was, operations like Sinagra Family Dairy are helping keep locally produced milk on store shelves.
