Latest news with #WisconsinCheeseMakersAssociation
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Wisconsin Cheese Makers calling on Department of Ag to release of funding
MADISON, Wis. (WLAX/WEUX) – The Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association is calling on the US Department of Agriculture to release federal funding, that was frozen last week, for successful Dairy Business Initiatives (DBI). DBI grants are reimbursable once a farmer is approved for a project, executes the project and uses the funds. For the Midwest, DBI funds help farming projects to continue. Except now, Wisconsin dairy farmers are noticing an impact on their businesses. Owner/Operator of Marieke Gouda, Marieke Penterman, explains, 'For us, we'll have to hold off on certain projects that we were planning to do that actually were creating jobs also and open up new markets for us here in America. We were hoping to continue that growth, and we currently have a grant that is frozen.' Officials with the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association add that many are concerned with tariffs, labor shortages and now frozen grant funds, adding that third pressure to an already stressed dairy industry. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
If it's the U.S. Championship Cheese Contest, it must be a big day for cheddar
ASHWAUBENON – The U.S. Championship Cheese Contest had every kind of cheese: mild cheddar, sharp cheddar, aged cheddar, young cheddar and cheddar blue. Well, this is Wisconsin. The championship, which kicked off Tuesday at the Resch Center, included 2,414 entries in 177 classes from 31 states and Puerto Rico. New this year were classes for sour cream and cultured dairy dips. Winners were decided by 38 judges from 15 states. But the top five classes, by number of entries, were mild cheddar, sharp cheddar, shredded cheeses, aged cheddar and medium cheddar. There were 285 cheddar entries, nearly 12% of all entries, in eight classes. That said, the most popular cheese in the United States is mozzarella — because of pizza. Cheddar is a close second, said Sarah Guttmann of Plymouth, of Masters Food Gallery Inc., who conducted judging demonstrations at the contest. Lucy Jeter of Clemson University became the contest's first student judge after winning — wait for it — the cheddar judging competition at the 100th Collegiate Dairy Products Evaluation Contest in Milwaukee last year. She was first in cheddar judging and third overall, among more than 40 student competitors. That contest included, along with cheeses, foods such as milk, cottage cheese, ice cream, butter and strawberry yogurt, but "cheddar is the most specific and most harshly criticized," Jeter said. She spent about five hours a week for a semester preparing for the competition. "There are a lot of nuances with cheddar, depending on age, especially when you compare them side by side," she said. Jeter, a graduate student who wants to work in dairy research and development, is shadowing professional judges on Tuesday and Wednesday. She hopes to some day be one of them. "I would hope so. It's a lot of fun," she said. The cheese championship is known for its openness and transparency. Judges are arrayed in a u-shaped line of tables. Signs identify the judges, their affiliation and the type of product being judged. The less-harried among them will answer questions while doing their work, and that includes most of them. Last year, at the world championships in Madison, also hosted by the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association, demonstration sessions, conducted by experienced dairy professionals, explained the judging process, using different types of cheeses as examples. Samples were handed out for each. As might be imagined, the sessions were popular. More: Swiss cheesemaker wins third consecutive World Championship Cheese Contest; Wisconsin wins 39 classes More: As Lent nears, readers say these 4 restaurants have the best fish fry dinners in Green Bay area The association carried the demonstrations over for this year's U.S. championship, and the morning's first session was attended by about 40 cheese lovers, who all sat through the more than hourlong presentation, which greatly relieved the number of questions working judges had to respond to. Liz Tienor of Manitowoc said it's tempting to think of cheese as just being solid milk, but the demonstration painted a different picture. "It's just the little blips of information you get ... it's made in caves and it has holes you put oxygen in" that makes it clear what an exacting process cheese making is, she said. For a judge who's inspecting 54 entries of mild cheddar in a day, the lack of interruption is appreciated, said Grace Atherton, cheese makers communications director. The contest is free and open to the public from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday at the Resch Expo. Championship judging on Thursday is closed to the public, but the announcement of the new champion and the runners up will be livestreamed at 2 p.m. that day at In addition to samples at the demonstration, the event includes four tables of cheeses to sample — more than just cheddar, although there's plenty of that, including one on Tuesday made with Spotted Cow beer that tasted like, well, Spotted Cow beer. Contact Richard Ryman at rryman@ Follow him on Twitter at @RichRymanPG, on Instagram at @rrymanPG or on Facebook at This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Cheddar dominates contest, but more than 2,000 other entries compete
Yahoo
24-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Here's a chance to sample award-winning cheese as U.S. championship returns to Resch Expo
ASHWAUBENON – Before the NFL draft comes to Green Bay, the U.S. Championship Cheese Contest will make an appearance. The every-other-year contest, held March 4-5 at the Resch Expo, will have 2,414 entries in 117 classes from 31 states. Categories include cheese, butter, cultured products and dry dairy ingredients. Preliminary judging, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. both days, will be free and open to the public. Even better than the judging are samples of competing and champion cheeses. It's a chance to taste the best of familiar cheeses or try something unique. Championship judging on March 6 is closed to the public, but announcement of winners will be livestreamed at 2 p.m. at The event is hosted by by the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association, which has its headquarters in Madison. At least 38 dairy experts, many of them cheese championship veterans, will evaluate entries on attributes such as flavor, body, texture, salt, color, finish, packaging, and more. More: U.S. cheese champion: Best cheese is from Connecticut, but the cheese maker is from Wisconsin More: Swiss cheesemaker wins third consecutive World Championship Cheese Contest; Wisconsin wins 39 classes Twenty-two northeastern Wisconsin producers submitted entries to the contest. An aged Gouda, called Europa, made by Arethusa Farm Dairy in Bantam, Connecticut, was the 2023 United States Champion Cheese. At the World Championship Cheese Contest in 2024, a Hornbacker cheese made by Michael Spycher of Mountain Dairy Fritzenhaus in Bern, Switzerland, was named the best cheese. The world championship is held every other year in Madison. Contact Richard Ryman at rryman@ Follow him on Twitter at @RichRymanPG, on Instagram at @rrymanPG or on Facebook at This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: U.S. Championship Cheese Contest comes to Green Bay every other year
Yahoo
10-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Baldwin, Van Orden introduce bills to support dairy industry
CHIPPEWA FALLS — Federal legislation to help dairy farmers invest in their businesses was introduced in both the U.S. House and Senate on Wednesday, and it has bipartisan support in both houses. The Dairy Business Innovation Act of 2025 would build on the support for regional dairy research and innovation centers across the country by raising the program's annual authorization from $20 million to $36 million. It would strengthen the Dairy Business Innovation Initiatives (DBII) to help more American dairy farmers and processors add value to their businesses, including creating new products, expanding their markets, and modernizing their production facilities. 'Dairy farmers work hard every day to put out world-class products, but they face some steep challenges,' Sen. Tammy Baldwin said on a Zoom conference with media Wednesday afternoon. Baldwin, a Wisconsin Democrat, added that a trade war would not help our farmers and processors. The DBII program was created in the 2018 Farm Bill, with Baldwin's backing. To date, the program has supported more than 250 dairy farmers and processors in the Midwest, including 109 in Wisconsin, a press release states. 'It provides valuable technical assistance and grants to farmers across the state,' Baldwin said. 'Millions of dollars are being invested across the state, and helping them explore new market opportunities.' Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., is a co-sponsor. Baldwin is hopeful this proposal gets rolled into the Farm Bill. 'This bipartisan legislation makes sure this is available for years to come,' Baldwin said. Rebekah Sweeney, senior director of programs and policy for the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association, said the dollars drive rural economic development. 'It was a lifeline for many dairy businesses through the pandemic,' Sweeney said. About $19.5 million in grants have been distributed to dairy farmers, she said. Sweeney said a boost in funding was needed. 'The Dairy Business Innovation Initiatives strengthen farmers and processors, providing greater stability in our nation's food supply chain,' she said. Baldwin said the money can be used to expand facilities and grow a dairy's operations to improve packaging and lower their shipping costs. 'Our dairy farmers face unique challenges. This will help small and medium-sized dairy businesses to grow and expand,' Baldwin said. As a result, the program has gone on to add value to the milk produced by American farmers and expand their market access, a press release states. The legislation is endorsed by the International Dairy Foods Association, Midwest Dairy Coalition, National Milk Producers Federation, Organic Valley, Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association, and the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation. U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden, R-Prairie Du Chien, and Salud Carbajal, D-Calif., also introduced the legislation in the House. 'Wisconsin's dairy farmers are the backbone of our state's agricultural economy,' Van Orden said in a press release. 'The Dairy Business Innovation Initiatives Act gives our farmers the tools they need to remain competitive and successful and ensure their ability to continue feeding the world.'
CBS News
04-02-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Over 2,000 entries submitted to compete in Wisconsin for best U.S. cheese
MADISON, Wisconsin — The Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association announced on Tuesday that 2,414 entries representing dairy businesses from 31 states have entered the 2025 U.S. Championship Cheese Contest. Manufacturers of cheese, butter, cultured products and dairy ingredients will be competing across 117 classes. The contest takes place from March 4 to March 6 at Green Bay's Resch Expo. During the first two days, WCMA says dairy processing experts from across the country will evaluate each product and calculate a precise score based different attributes. They include: flavor, body, texture, salt, color, finish, packaging and more. The preliminary rounds of judging are open to the public. The championship round will be March 6, and closed to the public. This is when gold, silver and bronze medals will be awarded to the three highest scoring entries in each of this year's classes. The championship round will be streamed online.
