UMPQUA DAIRY WINS TOP AWARD FROM QUALITY CHEKD, THE IRVING B WEBER AWARD FOR QUALITY EXCELLENCE!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:    Tamara Hamilton, Marketing Coordinator,  (541) 672-2638

Naperville, Ill. - Quality Chekd Dairies, Inc. proudly announces Umpqua Dairy Products Company, Roseburg, Oregon as the 2004 recipient of the Irving B. Weber Distinguished Award for Quality Excellence.  Umpqua Dairy was received this top achievement at the annual Quality Chekd 2004 Spring Management and Leadership Conference held March 22-24, 2004, at Hotel Intercontinental in Dallas, Texas.

The Irving B. Weber Award, the highest acknowledgement a Quality Chekd dairy can receive, recognizes one member dairy for excelling in overall company achievement.  The Weber Award, named for the organization's first president of the board, is modeled after the U.S. Commerce Department's esteemed Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award.

"Winning the Weber Award shows how dedicated our people are," said Doug Feldkamp, President, Umpqua Dairy Products Company.  "As this is the highest recognition achievable, it generates great pride and motivates us to continue to set the bar for quality."

To be eligible for the Weber Award, each dairy first has to surpass requirements in each of the following categories: leadership and commitment to total quality improvement; human resource development and management; facility and improvement projects; marketing programs; customer satisfaction programs; efficient inventory and loss control programs; and outstanding plant sanitation.

 "The Irving B. Weber Award is the highest distinction granted to a Quality Chekd dairy," said Peter Horvath, managing director, Quality Chekd.  "Umpqua Dairy should be proud of its efforts put forth in achieving this great accomplishment as the rigorous procedures even to be considered for this award are an admirable feat."

With a proud family heritage, dating back to 1931, Umpqua Dairy Products, Co. operates as the largest independent dairy in southern Oregon.  The award winning line of dairy, ice cream and juice products are distributed throughout Oregon, Washington and Northern California.  A tradition of unsurpassed quality, freshness and customer service makes Umpqua Dairy the number one choice for delicious, refreshing dairy products in the northwest.

About Quality Chekd
Quality Chekd is a member-owned organization of 40 independent dairy processors located throughout the United States, Mexico, El Salvador and Colombia.  Headquartered in Naperville, Illinois, Quality Chekd provides member dairies with the support services they need to assure that consumers receive the highest quality dairy products possible.  Quality Chekd member services include quality and food safety testing, training and education, marketing and procurement.  For more information, please visit http://www.qchekd.com.