Cheesemakers at Associated Milk Producers Inc. defended their title with one of the company’s colby jack cheeses winning best in its class at the World Championship Cheese Contest.

An international panel of judges earlier this month awarded a gold medal to the colby jack that was produced at the farmer-owned cooperative’s cheese plant in Jim Falls, Wis. In addition, a loaf of pasteurized process American cheese made by cheesemakers at AMPI’s Portage, Wis., plant also earned top honors.

Shawn Sadler

“The colby jack entry is representative of cheese we make every day,” says Shawn Sadler, AMPI Jim Falls cheese plant superintendent. “Earning the top award for the second time speaks to the consistent quality of milk coming from member farms and the skill of our cheese-making team.”

The biennial competition, held March 6-8 in Madison, Wis., attracted a record 3,402 entries from around the globe. The contest is hosted by the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association.

AMPI is headquartered in New Ulm, Minn., and owned by dairy farm families from Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota and North Dakota. In 2017, AMPI members marketed 5.7 billion pounds of milk, resulting in $1.7 billion in sales.

AMPI owns 10 Midwest-based manufacturing plants, where about 10% of the nation’s American-type cheese, butter and dried whey is produced. The cooperative’s award-winning cheese, butter and powdered dairy products are marketed to food service, retail and food ingredient customers.

Source: AMPI