One of the first acts of co-operation was the formation of the Lower Mainland Milk and Cream Shippers Association, with representation from throughout the valley. About the same time the Provincial Government passed legislation designed to assist in the development of co-operatives, called the Agricultural Associations Act. According to a 40th Anniversary history of the Fraser Valley Milk Producers' Association (FVMPA) (1917-1957), "On June 18th, 1913, a group of farmers representative of every district in the valley, met in New Westminster and took out a charter under this Act to organise a dairy marketing co-operative".
A financial depression in 1913, combined with the outbreak of the Great War in 1914, resulted in a delay in the start of operations. The FMPMA officially started business on February 16, 1917, with the sole purpose of acting as distributor for milk produced by its members. "At first the FMPMA was only a bargaining agency, dealing directly with the distributors who formerly dealt with individual farms." From there the FMPMA grew to include milk delivery on May 1, 1919, as well as milk processing.
Most dairy farmers in the Chilliwack area in the 1920s through to the 1950s had small herds, generally between 20 and 30 cows. No producers, regardless of how much milk they shipped, were denied membership as long as they agreed to the rules and regulation of the establishment.
In June, 1925, the FMPMA constructed a utility plant at Sardis, "to consolidate under one roof the manufacture of butter, powdered milk and cottage cheese." The FMPMA utility plant was a Sardis landmark, and handled the surplus milk of the Association and dairy industry for 60 years. The Sardis plant was closed in the spring of 1986, with the majority of its functions taken over by the Dairyland plant in Abbotsford.
Today, the Fraser Valley Milk Producers' Co-operative Association has a membership of 700 farms in British Columbia. This company that originally was only a valley operation is now in B.C. and Alberta. Today it is a significant factor in the economy of Chilliwack.
Construction of the Fraser Valley Milk Producers' Association Utility Plant in Sardis, 1924. P3268.