Wisconsin cheesemakers have once again demonstrated their exceptional craftsmanship, earning 117 cheese awards at the 35th biennial World Championship Cheese Contest, reports the Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin.

Agropur’s cheddar, aged one to two years, was named among the top 20 finalists across all classes in this year’s competition.

TCCA earns three awards for first place, one for second place and two for third place. 

Schuman’s flagship brand, Cello, received 2023 US Championship Cheese Contest recognition across the Parmesan, Mascarpone, Asiago, Romano, Semi-Soft, Soft, Hard, and Flavored categories, emerging as a contest star. 

The contest, which includes new and expanded categories, will be hosted by WCMA March 1-3 in Madison.

A soft goat’s cheese made by Andalusian cheesemaker Quesos y Besos was named World Champion Cheese in the World Cheese Awards in Oviedo, Spain, on Nov. 3. 

The live, virtual Championship Cheese Auction, part of the Chr. Hansen Spotlight Event on April 7 during CheeseExpo Global Online, raised $39,125 for Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association (WCMA) scholarship programs and industry educational opportunities, as well as the World and U.S. Championship Cheese Contests, WCMA said.

The Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association (WCMA) said it hosting an online celebration of the World and U.S. Championship Cheese Contests, with free original programming set to stream on WorldChampionCheese.org on March 2 and March 3.

The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) said Associated Milk Producers Inc. (AMPI), New Ulm, Minn., won the 2020 NMPF Chairman’s Award for the best cheese — an aged Asiago — in its 2020 Cheese Quality Competition.

Prairie Farms cream cheese produced in Luana, Iowa, was named Grand Champion of the North Central Cheese Industries Association (NCCIA) annual cheese contest held in Norwood, Minn.