Shopping Tip – How to Tell If Your Milk is Michigan-Made

We were "today years old" when we learned how to tell if the milk you purchased from a store came from Michigan.

See Also: What to Do if You Hit a Deer With Your Car in Michigan

It's safe to say that many Michiganders prefer to support local businesses within the state. Many will only buy Michigan-made products. But how do you really know that what you're buying was actually made in Michigan?

Thanks to the Saginaw Conservation District who posted a helpful little shopping tip on social media, we now know how to identify where our milk comes from.

Get our free mobile app

I'm sure you've noticed all the numbers on a milk carton before but chances are they mean nothing to you outside of the expiration date. Well, it turns out that those numbers actually represent some important information for shoppers.

What Do the Numbers on a Milk Carton Mean?

According to The Cornucopia Institute, this numerical bit, typed in faint gray numbers somewhere on the milk container, tells you exactly where the milk was processed and packaged. The first two numbers of the code (which can be followed by a dash or a space) indicate the state where the facility resides. For Michigan residents, you're looking for the #26.

Remember, the first two digits are like a geographic stamp – in this case, a ticket to Michigan-made goodness.

Saginaw Conservation District:

Grocery Shopping Tip: When picking out a milk carton look at the first 2 digits of the code shown below. This tells you which state it comes from. If you're from Michigan, look for lucky #26

 

The same goes for your yogurt, chocolate milk, organic milk, coffee creamer, and more.

It's a handy little tip especially if you're all about supporting Michigan businesses.

You can find other state codes, here.