HR Structure and Responsibilities in Dairy Unions: Beyond Standard Frameworks

Human Resource Management in a District Cooperative Milk Producers' Union (Dairy Union) is fundamentally different from a typical corporate setup. Unlike a factory that controls its raw material, a Dairy Union relies on hundreds of thousands of farmers organized into Village Dairy Cooperative Societies (VDCS). This creates a unique HR challenge: the organization is split into three distinct operational silos- Field (Procurement), Plant (Production) and Corporate (Admin). A standard HR structure fails here because the competencies required for a Veterinary Doctor in the field are vastly different from a Boiler Operator in the plant.

The Three-Pronged HR Structure:

To manage this complexity, successful Milk Unions adopt a specialized HR structure that mirrors the supply chain.

1. The Procurement HR Wing (The Field Force) 

The backbone of a Milk Union is the Procurement Division. HR responsibilities here are not about payroll, but about Extension and Logistics.

Key Roles: Veterinary Officers, Route Supervisors, and Procurement Officers.

HR Challenge: Managing a workforce that is never in the office. These employees operate remotely, visiting VDCS centers.

Key HR KRA: The focus here is on "Manpower Productivity per Route." HR must design incentive structures linked to milk quality (Fat/SNF) and volume procurement, rather than standard 9-to-5 attendance.

2. The Plant HR Wing (The Factory Floor) 

The Plant operation runs 24/7, dealing with a perishable commodity. If manpower planning fails here, milk sours.

Key Roles: Dairy Technologists, Refrigeration Engineers, Boiler Attendants, and Casual Labor.

HR Challenge: Statutory Compliance and Shift Management. This wing deals heavily with the Factories Act, 1948.

Key HR KRA: Shift Roster Management during "Flush Season" (high milk arrival) vs. "Lean Season." The HR team must master the skill of flexible staffing, utilizing contract labor legally during peak production months without violating the Contract Labour (Regulation and Abolition) Act.

3. The Corporate HR Wing (Policy and Audit)

This is the central command that connects the Field and the Plant.

Key Roles: Finance, Marketing, MIS, and Legal.

HR Challenge: Harmonizing the culture. The corporate office often faces friction with the "hard-working" plant staff.

Key HR KRA: Designing the "Service Rules" and "Promotion Policy" that applies fairly to a PhD Veterinarian and a Plant Supervisor. This wing handles the interface with the Board of Directors and ensures that the Cooperative’s democratic bylaws are respected in executive decisions.

Critical Responsibility: Managing the "Flush" and "Lean" Cycle The most specific responsibility of HR in a Dairy Union is managing the seasonality of employment. Milk production in India peaks in winter (Flush) and drops in summer (Lean). HR must develop a Variable Manpower Model.

In Flush Season: The HR team must rapidly onboard skilled temporary staff for butter and powder plants.

In Lean Season: The focus shifts to training, leave management, and maintenance work. A rigid, static manpower plan will bankrupt a Union during the lean season and cause operational failure during the flush season.

Conclusion 

HR in a Dairy Union is not a support function; it is a supply chain enabler. By structuring the department to serve the specific needs of Procurement, Production, and Admin separately, the Union ensures that the milk flows smoothly from the village udder to the urban consumer.

By HRMIT I A DAIRY HR PROFESSIONAL