Due to generous support from the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board(WMMB), World Dairy Expo attendees had the opportunity to meet some of the acclaimed Wisconsin Master Cheesemakers, as well as the opportunity to sample a few of their world renowned cheeses.
The Wisconsin Master Cheesemaker® program was initiated as a means to keep Wisconsin the nation’s premier cheesemaking state, at the forefront of the image behind high quality cheeses and standards of cheesemaking.
“In the last couple of decades, Wisconsin has had to take the high end of the market,” said Wisconsin Cheesemakers Association President John Umhoefer in an interview during the Expo,” California and the West Coast came in and started making the cheddars and the mozzarellas; In order to survive, Wisconsin had to step it up.”
The Wisconsin Master Cheesemaker Program is the most ambitious and rigorous advanced training program in the country. The state of Wisconsin is home to 1200 licensed cheesemakers, more than any other state, yet only 55 individuals have made it through the rigorous program. It is also the only Master program offered outside of Europe.
AgWired spoke with Tom Jenny, a Master Cheesemaker in both Gouda and Swiss, at the 2015 World Dairy Expo. Jenny has been involved in cheesemaking for 45 years.
“What we hope to accomplish this week is to explain a little bit to the farmers what the Master Cheesemaker program is all about, what they’re investing their money in, how we’re trying to keep and use as much milk as we can within the state,” he said, “It’s a tough program, and you have to want to do this for your career. It’s very tough to keep the younger generation interested in making the cheese, but we really need them in order to keep this going.”
The Master Cheesemaker® program is administered by the Center for Dairy Research located within the University of Wisconsin campus, and is funded by Wisconsin dairy farmers.
Listen to my interview with John here:
Interview with John Umhoefer, Wisconsin Cheesemakers Assoc.
Listen to my interview with Tom here:
Interview with Tom Jenny, Wisconsin Master Cheesemaker
View and download photos from the event here: 2015 World Dairy Expo Photo Album
