Coulee Flats Dairy is located just a few miles outside Mesa, WA. The dairy has been here for 10 years now but Coulee Flats Dairy in Sunnyside was started 15 years ago. Case VanderMeulen, the owner of Coulee Flats Dairy, and his family live near the dairy. Case grew up on a family dairy in Holland, which his brother still runs. He came to the US in 1989 first finding dairy work in California.
Coulee Flats Dairy was originally two dairies in Sunnyside. When there was no room to expand and grow, the two operations combined and then built into becoming Coulee Flats Dairy with 2,300 head. Upon expanding the Coulee Flats Dairy to Mesa in 2008, they started out with 3,000 head have grown to now have 6,800 head of Holstein cows. In the beginning, they employed 45 workers but have grown their operation to now providing 95 jobs locally.
Being one of many dairy’s in the area – Coulee Flats sells all their milk to the Darigold Co-Op to then be processed and marketed to consumers. They also offer organic Gold Compost to farmers and individuals as well. The Mesa Coulee Flats Dairy runs 24/7, with the cows on a schedule to be milked 3 times a day on rotation in the parallel double 50 and double 30 milking parlors. Cows take a 45-day maternity leave and have their calves under staff supervision in the special maternity barn.
When talking about expanding the Coulee Flats Dairy, Case stated “If there is one constant, change never stops.” Case and his team of employee’s live by the motto “Our Teamwork makes the Dream work.” Case enjoys talking about the dairy and his passion to people and loves visiting and showing the dairy to those who come by to learn more about the process and production of dairy products. In his spare time, Case enjoys reading and researching the original farmers and the history of the Columbia Basin. In addition to running a business, Case is very generous in supporting various community events including being a premium donor for the Connell Fireworks Extravaganza, Fall Festival, and the Harvest Festival, just to name a few. For several years, he previously had teamed with the local grocery store in Mesa, to raise money for Mesa Elementary through milk sales.
To find out more information about the Coulee Flats Dairy, I encourage you to look at their website cfdairy.com. If you have time and want even more hands on information and possibly a tour please call their office beforehand at 509-205-2077. The office is open Monday – Friday from 8am-4pm. Coulee Flats Dairy is located at 1321 Pepiot Rd, Mesa WA.
