News

The long-overdue end to Mexico’s retaliatory tariffs against U.S. cheese exports is a positive development amid a few other indicators suggesting that dairy’s fortunes may be improving. But much work remains before we can feel confident we’ve turned a corner.

Removing a barrier that has harmed trade with our largest international partner is important progress. …

Milk production is up in Wisconsin; cows produce more milk each year than the year before, and America’s Dairyland uniformly describes itself as in crisis.

Capitalism is an indifferent taskmaster, measuring success in growth and profits. But a different metric has shaken the Wisconsin dairy industry, worried rural communities and motivated policymakers: The number of …

Tasty and versatile cheese has long been a favorite food and ingredient of U.S. consumers. But recent sales data suggest the cheese segment has been struggling a bit, at least at retail. Dollar sales within the retail processed cheese category fell 3.7% to $2.8 billion during the 52 weeks ending Jan. 27, 2019, according to …

Automation Offers a Modern Solution

Which will optimize operations and maximize food freshness.

Whether handling fresh milk or cheese, dairy distribution centers need to move products from receiving to dispatch with high speed and precision. These facilities require efficient, accurate order fulfillment to meet strict sell-by dates and to maximize the shelf life of goods …

When New York Times Says Your Industry Faces Extinction

It’s time to pump the brakes on the hyperbole and assess the situation. However, dairy is facing recovery, not extinction.

On April 26, the Times offered a long-form piece titled “Stung by Trump’s Trade Wars, Wisconsin’s Milk Farmers Face Extinction.” That same day, block cheddar sold …

Collectively, blue-veined cheeses are made using lactic acid-producing primary starter cultures (belonging to genera Lactococcus and strains of leuconostoc) and the secondary Penicillium roqueforti mold starter (predominantly mold spores). They include Roquefort (France), Danish Blue or Danablu (Denmark), Gorgonzola (Italy), Stilton (Britain), and the U.S. standard identity for “blue cheese.”

According to the U.S. standard …

Initial research shows the technology can improve shelf life in certain cheeses

For about the past 20 years, the food and beverage industry has used high-pressure processing (HPP) to improve the safety of products. Foods such as sliced meats, avocado dips, and certain beverages have especially benefited from this technology. Could the dairy industry also …

Processed cheese sales have been declining at retail for years as health-conscious grocery shoppers perceive that “processed” means unnatural and thus unhealthy. The category shrank 3.7% in dollar sales to $2.8 billion and 4.1% in unit sales to 737.8 million, according to according to data from Chicago-based market research firm IRI for the 52 weeks …

It is an interesting and challenging time for the dairy industry. While we are seeing an increase in the consumption of products like specialty cheese, we are also seeing a decrease in fluid milk consumption.

Consumers’ tastes and expectations are changing. New plant-based formulated food products are coming on the market, many of which are …