American Cheese Society 2021 Annual Conference: Full Schedule

3:00pm MDT

President's Welcome

Speakers

Jeremy Stephenson

Wednesday July 28, 2021 3:00pm - 3:45pm MDT

General Session

Level intermediate
Audience affineur, cheesemaker
Subject Area science / research

10:00am MDT

CONCURRENT SESSION - Troubleshooting - Small Things Have an Impact on Quality and Productivity

Cheesemaking: Trouble shooting those items that often find one at a loss. What can be observed, measured, recorded and applied to bring financial gain through preventive loss and quality improvement. Get an unique view point of how small things can make an impact on your product and your operation. What seems obvious is often overlooked or not monitored.

Speakers

Gary Pieper

Technical Sales Manager for Cultures and Enzymes, Chr. Hansen Holding A/S

Gary Pieper, Technical Sales Manager for Culture and Enzymes, Chr. Hansen Inc.. Home office in Davis, Illinois. Spent 10 years as a Technical / Application Manager for Fermented Products in North America and is in his 10th year as a Technical Sales Manager in the Midwest Region... Read More →

Thursday July 29, 2021 10:00am - 11:00am MDT

Educational Session

Level intermediate
Audience cheesemaker
Subject Area food safety, business/ finance

12:00pm MDT

CONCURRENT SESSION - The Real Cost of Having (or Not Having) an Aging Program

Aging high-quality cheese to develop more mature flavors and increase value can be relatively inexpensive. Choices made in managing an aging program have a significant impact on a cheese business. A company can compromise cash flow at the risk of losing value on unsuitable-aged cheese if not properly monitored. Employing trained individuals to assess cheese on a routine basis carries a cost. Maximizing value from a living food, especially during a pandemic where no one has a crystal ball, is a major challenge. This panel of industry professionals will present their approaches, experiences, and field questions from the audience.

Speakers

Zoe Brickley

Director of Marketing & Sales, Jasper Hill Farms

Tony Hook

Hook's Cheese

Tony and Julie Hook have been making artisan cheddar, blue cheese, world champion colby and many other varieties for over 45 years. Established in 1976, Hook's Cheese Company is a family owned and operated business located in the historic "Shake Rag" district of scenic Mineral Point... Read More →

Paul McNeely

Food Safety & Quality Manager, Sugar Mountain

Bill Rufenacht

Technical Service, Customer Service, Sales, Dairy Connection

Thursday July 29, 2021 12:00pm - 1:00pm MDT

Educational Session

Level intermediate
Audience retailer, affineur, distributor
Subject Area business/ finance

2:30pm MDT

CONCURRENT SESSION - DZTA Recipient: Growing Great Cheese: How Feed Influences Flavor

This session is the Daphne Zepos Teaching Award Recipient for 2020.

Much has been made about the importance of grassy hillsides and Alpine pastures to the cheeses made there, but how does animal feed affect our cheeses really? Join Matt Benham, cheesemaker and recipient of the 2020 Daphne Zepos Teaching Award, as he unpacks the science of feed and its effect on milk chemistry, and ultimately, on the cheese we make, sell, and enjoy. Matt draws upon the expertise of scientists, farmers and cheesemakers at home and abroad to help demystify the complex relationship between animal feed and cheese character, and explores how we might tailor our feed programs in order to realize the full potential of our cheeses.

Speakers

Matt Benham

Jasper Hill Farm

Thursday July 29, 2021 2:30pm - 3:30pm MDT

Educational Session

Level intermediate
Audience cheesemaker, retailer, farmer
Subject Area dairy / milk, science / research

5:30pm MDT

Cheese, Cheers and Beers Sponsored by Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin

Game Night Done Right with Wisconsin Cheese

Are you as brainy as a ripe geo rind? Flex your superior knowledge over three rounds of interactive games, all focusing on the wonderful world of cheese. You’ll be joined by award-winning Wisconsin cheesemakers who will share their knowledge in subject areas like pairing, history and cheese science. Registration ends July 25th - be sure to sign up early to receive your game kit, which includes samples. Spaces are limited.

If you have already registered for the ACS Annual Conference and would like to register, please contact events@cheesesociety.org for the registration link.

Thursday July 29, 2021 5:30pm - 6:30pm MDT

Spotlight Event

Level intermediate
Audience affineur, cheesemaker
Subject Area business/ finance, food safety, science / research

10:00am MDT

CONCURRENT SESSION: LGBrieTQ+ Cheesemakers Panel

Following up the first ACS LGBrieTQ+ panel. Moderated by cheese industry LGBTQ+ activist, Eris Schack, questions will explore the unique challenges that these LGBTQ+ cheesemakers faced in building their businesses, as well as exploring what draws members of the queer community to work in our industry. Talk of history of what it was like being out and queer in the past, plus has things have changed and how they can improve. Will include an open question and answer period during the second half of the presentation, for industry members to ask their own questions from these accomplished panel members.

Speakers

Eris Schack

Veronica Pedraza

general manager and head cheesemaker, Blakesville Creamery

David Gremmels

President, Rogue Creamery

Michael Koch

President & Co-Founder, Firefly Farms

Friday July 30, 2021 10:00am - 11:00am MDT

Educational Session

Level intermediate
Audience cheesemaker, affineur, distributor, farmer, retailer
Subject Area dei, hr, human interest, networking/ interactive

10:00am MDT

CONCURRENT SESSION: Center for Dairy Research - Controlling Cheese Quality: Common Defects Seen at Retail & Their Root Cause During Cheesemaking Sponsored by Dairy Connection Inc.

From excessive squishiness to soapiness, some defects are omnipresent in the cheese retail cooler. This session will explore several of the main flaws that are common in certain cheese varieties and how they come about during the cheesemaking process and the supply chain at-large. We will conclude with a mini case study, where participants will be given a “whodunnit” style mystery to solve!

This will be a 3 hour session with a Q&A to follow.

Speakers

Gina Mode

Assistant Coordinator Cheese Industry & Applications, CDR, Center For Dairy Research

Gina is involved with everything from cheese trials and troubleshooting to short courses and outreach efforts. She has a B.S. in Food Science and a MBA. Gina was raised on a fifth generation family dairy farm and has been making cheese as a licensed Wisconsin cheesemaker for over... Read More →

Andy Johnson

Assistant Coordinator Cheese Industry & Applications, CDR, Center For Dairy Research

As a licensed cheesemaker with over a decade of industry experience, Andy Johnson brings a great deal of knowledge and expertise to CDR in his dual roles as program coordinator of the Wisconsin Master Cheesemaker Program as well as his work with CDR clients looking to develop and... Read More →

Rebecca Hohlstein

Cheese Outreach Specialist, CDR, Center For Dairy Research

Rebecca joins CDR with 35 years of experience in the dairy industry, including technical support, training, product development, and troubleshooting. Over her career, Rebecca has taken many CDR short courses as well as presented. In her previous employment with industry culture houses... Read More →

Ben Ullerup Mathers

Research Cheesemaker, CDR, Center For Dairy Research

Previously a software developer, Ben's growing interest in fermentation and food production led him to accept a 3-month position at Uplands Cheese doing affinage for Rush Creek Reserve in the Fall of 2019. Finding a love for the art, science, and culture of cheesemaking, Ben then... Read More →

Dean Sommer

Cheese & Food Technologist, CDR, Center For Dairy Research

Dean serves as a technical resource to the industry regarding cheese, whey products and processing. He assists manufacturers as well as their customers by serving as a consultant and educator. Dean is often involved with trouble shooting, public and private company short courses and... Read More →

Mark Johnson

Distinguished Scientist Extraordinaire, CDR, Center For Dairy Research

A wealth of knowledge, Mark has been with CDR for more than 30 years. Honored with the NCI Laureate Award and many other awards, Mark is a resource for both staff and industry. As CDR Assistant Director, Mark is a close advisor to the Director and often represents CDR when the Director... Read More →

Pat Polowsky

Training Facilitator, CDR, Center For Dairy Research

Pat serves as the training facilitator for CDR. He works closely with CDR staff and industry experts in creating engaging learning materials for the dairy industry. Pat is a food scientist and product developer by trade, with extensive experience creating technical teaching tools... Read More →

Friday July 30, 2021 10:00am - 1:00pm MDT

Educational Session

Level intermediate
Audience cheesemaker, affineur
Subject Area science / research

12:00pm MDT

CONCURRENT SESSION - ON: "I'm an ACS CCP ... Now What?"

This is a mix of a panel discussion plus interactive Open Networking event that will help current ACS CCP's look at options of where their accreditation can possibly take them within their own towns, companies, and beyond.

Speakers