Madison, WI – Dairy experts from across the nation will convene to choose the United States Champion Cheese at the 2015 United States Championship Cheese Contest, to be held March 1719 at the Wisconsin Center and Hyatt Regency in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
This year’s judging panel will assemble from 17 U.S. states. The panel will evaluate cheese, butter and, new this year, yogurt entries overseen by Chief Judge Robert Aschebrock, veteran USDA dairy grader.
The United States Championship Cheese Contest will again invite the winner of the Cheddar Category in the National Collegiate Dairy Products Evaluation Contest to observe the judging. “Since 2009, WCMA has partnered with Chr. Hansen to bring in the top student cheddar judge to learn from our expert panel,” said John Umhoefer, executive director of Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association, the contest host, “And for 2015, we are pleased to invite Kate Bond, a student at Clemson University, to observe the judging at the Contest.
Contest officials anticipate more than 1,800 entries from around the U.S. for this 18th biennial competition. Cheese, butter and yogurt makers are encouraged to visit the contest website at www.uschampioncheese.org. Online entry is easier than ever with MyEntries©, a unique online entry feature that saves time and money. MyEntries© allows the user to securely enter and pay online and instantly view scores and scoresheets. Entries are stored from year to year in one convenient, secure location. Entry forms and fees for the contest are due February 18, 2015.
Contest entries must be shipped to arrive by March 6th (March 10 for fresh cheeses and yogurt) to WOW Logistics in Little Chute, Wis. WOW Logistics and Wisconsin Aging and Grading Cheese, Inc. will store, sort and label entries.Assisting Robert Aschebrock for the 2015 contest are Chief Judge Emeritus Bill Schlinsog, Middleton, Wis. and Assistant Chief Judges Tim Czmowski, Agropur, Inc.; Hull, Iowa, Stan Dietsche, Oshkosh Cheese Sales & Storage, Oshkosh, Wis.; Jim Mueller, Mueller Consulting, Green Bay, Wis.; and Sandy Toney, Masters Gallery Foods, Plymouth, Wis. The contest chairman is Brian Eggebrecht of Welcome Dairy, Colby, Wis.
In addition, the Contest is coordinated by the Contest Committee consisting of the following industry volunteers: Greg Alberts, Kelley Supply, Abbotsford, Wis.; Dave Buholzer, Klondike Cheese Co., Monroe, Wis.; Gary Grossen, Babcock Hall Dairy Plant, Madison, Wis.; Steve Krause, TOSCA Ltd., Green Bay, Wis.; Craig Linz, TetraPak, Winsted, Minn.; Dan Stearns, Agropur, Inc., Weyauwega,Wis.; Steve Stettler, Decatur Dairy, Brodhead, Wis.; Randy Swenson, WAG Cheese, Little Chute, Wis.; Kevin Thome, Cheese Reporter, Madison, Wis.; and Bruce Workman, Edelweiss Creamery, Monticello, Wis.
Judges for the 2015 event include the following:
- Jill Allen, Corporate Manager of Product Quality, Tillamook County Creamery Assoc. Tillamook, Ore.
- Greg Anderson, Global Sourcing Leader, Kroger Company, Rochester, Minn.
- Doug Anker, Consultant, Zillah, Wash.
- Marc Bates, Consultant, Bates Consulting, Cannon Beach, Ore.
- Larry Bell, Consultant, LBell Consulting, Green Bay, Wis.
- Dr. Robert Bradley, Emeritus Professor, Univ. of WI Department of Food Science, Madison, Wis.
- Jeff Broadbent, Professor of Food Science at Utah State University, Logan, Utah.
- Dr. Richard Dargan, Independent Consultant, Dargan Dairy Solutions, Monett, Mo.
- Todd Druhot, Cheese Specialist, Gourmet Foods International, Atlanta, Ga.
- Craig Gile, New Products, Cabot Creamery, Waitsfield, Vt.
- Glenn Hatcher, Director of Quality Systems, Pacific Cheese, Hayward, Calif.
- John Jaeggi, Cheese Industry and Applications Program Coordinator, Wisconsin Center for Dairy Research, Madison, Wis.
- Mark E. Johnson, Distinguished Scientist, Wisconsin Center for Dairy Research, Madison, Wis.
- Dr. Kerry Kaylegian, Dairy Foods Research & Extension Associate, Penn State University, University Park, Penn.
- Dan Konz, QA Cheese Grader, DairiConcepts, Kimball, Minn.
- Terry Lensmire, Product Development Manager, Agropur Inc., Appleton, Wis.
- Charles Lindberg, Program Manager, New York State Department of Agriculture, Belfast, N.Y.
- Neville McNaughton, President, CheezSorce/Sanitary Design Industries, St. Louis, Mo.
- Christoph Megevand, Exec. Vice President Cheese Manufacturing, Arthur Schuman, Fairfield, N.J.
- Lloyd Metzger, Professor, South Dakota State University, Brookings, S. Dak.
- Virgil Metzger, Cheese & Dairy Consultant, Vernon Hills, Ill.
- Ken Neumeier, President & CEO, WI Aging & Grading Cheese Inc., Little Chute, Wis.
- Ben Novak, Novak’s Cheese of Wisconsin, Green Bay, Wis.
- Mike Pederson, Multiple Products Grader, Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Argyle, Wis.
- David Satterness, Region Manager, Chr. Hansen, Inc., Sioux Falls, South Dak.
- Dean Sommer, Cheese Technologist, Wisconsin Center for Dairy Research, Madison, Wis.
- Cathy Strange, Global Cheese Buyer, Whole Foods Market, Austin, Texas.
- Eric Vorpahl, Product Manager, Foremost Farms USA, Appleton, Wis.
- Charles White, Prof. Emeritus; Senior Associate, H. Randolph Inc., Knoxville, Tenn.
- Nial Yager, Buyer/Planner, Washington State University Creamery, Pullman, Wash.
In addition, two experts will join the panel to evaluate entries in the six new yogurt and cultured products classes. They are:
- KJ Burrington, Dairy Ingredient Applications Coordinator, Wisconsin Center for Dairy Research, Madison, Wis.
- Aileen Kacvinsky, Account Manager, DuPont Nutrition & Health, New Century, Kan.
For contest updates, visit uschampioncheese.org.
Source: Wisconcin Cheese Makers Association
