Four California milk marketing cooperatives have signed an agreement to work together to market their milk and dairy products in the state. The announcement came from California Dairies Inc. in Visalia, Calif.

The formation of the Western Milk Cooperatives Agency July 16 will allow its members to exchange production, marketing and statistical information. The four cooperative members are: California Dairies Inc., Dairy Farmers of America Inc. (Western Council), Land O’Lakes Inc. and Security Milk Producers Association.

The cooperatives have agreed to immediately begin to identify operational inefficiencies, especially in milk transportation, to address what they call the “short-term dire financial crisis” facing California dairymen.