Wisconsin State Fair celebrates Best of Wisconsin Cheese at Annual Dairy Products Contest and Auction

Lake Country Dairy/Schuman Cheese’s Gary Gosda triumphs with Cello Maple Mascarpone.

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Accepting the 2024 Grand Master Cheesemaker Award from left are Randy Romanski, Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, Justin Willcox, Lake Country Dairy (LCD) Technical Cheese Adviser, Andy Koenig, LCD Production Manager, Lisa Gosda, Schuman Cheese Quality Assurance Manager, and Gary Gosda, LCD Plant Manager.

Photo credit: Wisconsin State Fair Dairy Promotion Board

Wisconsin's rich cheesemaking tradition and excellence are celebrated annually at the Wisconsin State Fair Dairy Products Contest and Auction, which shines a light on the innovation, passion and dedication of cheesemakers in the State of Cheese. This year, Gary Gosda from Lake Country Dairy/Schuman Cheese in Turtle Lake, Wis., received the prestigious title of Grand Master Cheesemaker for Cello Maple Mascarpone.

"This is one of our favorite contests," Gosda says. "We go all over the nation and worldwide, but when you can win in Wisconsin against all these cheesemakers, that's the biggest compliment."

Lake Country Dairy/Schuman Cheese, renowned for their Italian-style cheeses, introduced Cello Maple Mascarpone just nine months prior to its triumph.

With over 400 locally produced products vying for recognition, the Wisconsin State Fair Dairy Products Contest and Auction showcases the exceptional quality and craftsmanship of Wisconsin's dairy industry. From artisanal cheeses to butter, yogurt, sour cream, milk, and custard, each product undergoes rigorous evaluation and ranking across more than 50 classes.

"The Wisconsin State Fair Dairy Products Contest and Auction is a celebration of our state's rich dairy heritage and the dedication of our talented cheesemakers," said Chad Vincent, CEO of Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin. "This event recognizes the outstanding products they create and provides an opportunity for the Wisconsin community to support local dairy farmers and businesses."

Klondike Cheese Co., of Monroe, WI, also had a good competition earning 11 cow-milk cheese awards, followed by Decatur Dairy Inc. bringing home 10 awards and Lake Country Dairy/Schuman Cheese with nine total awards, Agropur Inc. earns seven, and The Artisan Cheese Exchange, Ltd. with five. To see a full list of award-winning Wisconsin Cheeses from this competition, visit wsfdairypromo.org.

In addition to the Grandmaster Cheesemaker, the Wisconsin State Fair also crowns champions in various dairy categories:

• 2024 Grand Champion Butter – Nordic Creamery unsalted butter, made by Nordic Creamery of Westby

• 2024 Grand Champion Yogurt – Odyssey Labneh, made by Klondike Cheese Co of Monroe

• 2024 Grand Champion Sour Cream – Odyssey Reduced Fat Mediterranean Feta Dip, made by Klondike Cheese Co of Monroe

• 2024 Grand Champion Milk – 2% Fluid White Milk made by Lamers Dairy of Appleton

• 2024 Grand Champion Custard – Bananarama made by Dairyland Old Fashioned Hamburgers of Milwaukee

These esteemed champions, along with the winners of each class, are presented and auctioned off at a special event during the Wisconsin State Fair to support dairy scholarships and promotions.