Madison, Wis. (August 12, 2019) – The Wisconsin State Fair named the grand champion dairy products and the coveted Grand Master Cheesemaker award last week. With a record-breaking 445 entries spanning 39 classes, the Wisconsin State Fair Dairy Products Contest Grand Champions include:
- 2019 Grand Master Cheesemaker – Team Sartori from Plymouth with Sartori Reserve Rosemary & Olive Oil Asiago
- 2019 Grand Champion Butter – Salted Butter from Foremast Farms in Reedsburg
- 2019 Grand Champion Yogurt – Odyssey® Vanilla Yogurt from Klondike Cheese Company in Monroe
- 2019 Grand Champion Sour Cream – Westby Creamery French Onion Dip from Westby Cooperative Creamery in Westby
- 2019 Grand Champion Milk – Chocolate Milk from Nasonville Dairy in Marshfield
"Wisconsin truly is the best place in the world for dairy and the State Fair is a wonderful way to showcase exactly why we are America's Dairyland," says Suzanne Fanning, Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin Senior Vice President and Wisconsin Cheese CMO. "Our lush grasslands and glacial water supply contribute to the many reasons our hard-working dairy farmers are able to produce the very best milk. Third and fourth generation cheesemakers use that milk to create award-winning cheese and dairy products that take center stage not only during the State Fair but all year long."
Wisconsin has a rich dairy heritage, with generations of dairy farmers and cheesemakers adopting time tested traditions with European roots. Today, these traditions are combined with a spirit of innovation that has built an entire community centered around dairy, which can only be found in Wisconsin. The state is home to one of only two Master Cheesemaker programs in the entire world and attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year to learn how Wisconsin leads worldwide dairy innovation and quality. Wisconsin Cheese continues to win more awards than any other state or country.
The contest continues to grow year after year with a new class for milk added to this year's competition, following the addition of yogurt and sour cream divisions last year. Awards are presented at the Blue Ribbon Dairy Products Auction, which helps fund scholarships for students pursuing dairy-related degrees and supports educational efforts including Dairy Lane, the new interactive educational display in the Dairy Barn at the Wisconsin State Fair Park.
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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.