MILWAUKEE, Aug. 14,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Wisconsin's rich cheesemaking tradition
and excellence are celebrated annually at the Wisconsin State Fair
Dairy Products Contest and Auction, which shines a light on the
innovation, passion, and dedication of cheesemakers in the State of
Cheese. This year, Gary Gosda from
Lake Country Dairy/Schuman Cheese in
Turtle Lake, Wis., receives the
prestigious title of Grand Master Cheesemaker for Cello Maple
Mascarpone.
"This is one of our favorite contests," says Gosda, "We go all
over the nation and worldwide, but when you can win in Wisconsin against all these cheesemakers,
that's the biggest compliment."
Lake Country Dairy/Schuman
Cheese, renowned for their Italian-style cheeses, introduced
Cello Maple Mascarpone just nine months prior to its triumph.
With over 400 locally produced products vying for recognition,
the Wisconsin State Fair Dairy Products Contest and Auction
showcases the exceptional quality and craftsmanship of Wisconsin's dairy industry. From artisanal
cheeses to butter, yogurt, sour cream, milk, and custard, each
product undergoes rigorous evaluation and ranking across more than
50 classes.
"The Wisconsin State Fair Dairy Products Contest and Auction is
a celebration of our state's rich dairy heritage and the dedication
of our talented cheesemakers," said Chad
Vincent, CEO of Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin. "This event recognizes the
outstanding products they create and provides an opportunity for
the Wisconsin community to support
local dairy farmers and businesses."
Klondike Cheese Company, of Monroe,
WI, also had a good competition earning 11 cow-milk cheese
awards, followed by Decatur Dairy Inc. bringing home 10 awards and
Lake Country Dairy/Schuman Cheese
with nine total awards, Agropur Inc. earns seven, and The Artisan
Cheese Exchange, Ltd. with five. To see a full list of
award-winning Wisconsin Cheeses from this competition visit
wsfdairypromo.org.
In addition to the Grandmaster Cheesemaker, the Wisconsin State
Fair also crowns champions in various dairy categories:
- 2024 Grand Champion Butter – Nordic Creamery unsalted butter,
made by Nordic Creamery of Westby
- 2024 Grand Champion Yogurt – Odyssey Labneh, made by Klondike
Cheese Co of Monroe
- 2024 Grand Champion Sour Cream – Odyssey Reduced Fat
Mediterranean Feta Dip, made by Klondike Cheese Co of Monroe
- 2024 Grand Champion Milk – 2% Fluid White Milk made by Lamers
Dairy of Appleton
- 2024 Grand Champion Custard – Bananarama made by Dairyland Old
Fashioned Hamburgers of Milwaukee
These esteemed champions, along with the winners of each class,
are presented and auctioned off at a special event during the
Wisconsin State Fair to support dairy scholarships and
promotions.
About Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin: Funded by
Wisconsin dairy farmers, Dairy
Farmers of Wisconsin is a
non-profit organization that focuses on marketing and promoting
Wisconsin's world-class dairy
products. For more information, visit our website at
WisconsinDairy.org.
About Wisconsin Cheese: The
tradition of cheesemaking excellence began more than 150 years ago,
before Wisconsin was recognized as
a state. Wisconsin's 1,200
cheesemakers, many of whom are third- and fourth generation,
continue to pass on old-world traditions while adopting modern
innovations in cheesemaking craftsmanship. For more information,
visit WisconsinCheese.com or connect on Facebook.
Photo credit: Wisconsin State Fair Dairy Promotion Board
Accepting the 2024 Grand Master Cheesemaker Award from left are
Randy Romanski, Secretary of the
Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection,
Justin Willcox, Lake Country Dairy
(LCD) Technical Cheese Adviser, Andy
Koenig, LCD Production Manager, Lisa
Gosda, Schuman Cheese Quality Assurance Manager, and
Gary Gosda, LCD Plant Manager.
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SOURCE Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin