Conference Attendee List

Plan Your Approach to "Meet the Cheesmaker!" 

With so many great producers to meet and products to sample, we encourage you to download a Meet the Cheesemaker Floorplan in advance to map out your path through the event.  

Please note: a copy of this floorplan will also be included in your welcome packet in Raleigh.  

  
The Raleigh Downtown Farmers Market is celebrating the ACS Conference & Competition with a special market dedicated to cheese.  

Cheese Please! will be held on Wednesday, August 1 from 10 AM - 2 PM at City Plaza on the 400 block of Fayetteville Street, just seconds from the Raleigh Convention Center.  

Be sure to stop by the market for festivities including:

• Tastings from North Carolina cheesemakers
• Grilled cheese cook off
• Beer and cheese pairings
• Live music  
• Local lunch vendors
• Fresh produce, meats, and baked goods

We Still Need Your Support: Volunteer in Raleigh!  

If you are heading to Raleigh and have some time to offer as a volunteer, sign up today!   

The American Cheese Education Foundation is Pinning its Hopes on You!   

We hope you'll wear and enjoy our trio of cheesy pins in Raleigh! They will be available at the Registration Desk for a suggested donation of $1 per pin. All proceeds support the ACE Foundation to help fund cheesemaker scholarships. Don't forget to pick a few up! 

The weeks leading up to each annual ACS conference amount to increasing levels of energy, momentum, and anticipation as we finalize the program and see the final pieces of the conference materialize.  

Our Cheese Rally in Raleigh is exceeding expectations with nearly 800 registered attendees and the largest number of entries ever in our Judging & Competition -- a record 1,711 cheeses. Huge kudos to the Judging & Competition Committee for their dedication of countless hours to make this ever-growing event happen!

I got a sneak peek of the volunteer shirts this year and, trust me, you won't want to go home without one (see photo at left). Click here to find out how to make a difference behind the scenes as a volunteer. 

Our meeting in Raleigh will be bittersweet for many in our community. Even as we come together to collaborate, network, and celebrate great cheese, we will do so without a revered colleague and friend.

When word broke at the Summer Fancy Food Show that ACS member Daphne Zepos was gravely ill, there was a groundswell of emotion and desire to recognize Daphne's contributions to the industry. Within a day, ACS received a multitude of moving letters of support for her nomination for the Lifetime Achievement Award. On June 20th, Debra Dickerson presented news of the award to Daphne in person on behalf of ACS.

Daphne sent word that she was deeply honored by the award and humbled by the acknowledgement. Her husband will accept the award on her behalf in Raleigh at the August 2nd Business Meeting & Lunch.

The outpouring of love, support, and admiration during these last months represents the cheese community at its finest, and it is a fitting legacy to pioneers of our industry like Daphne, who had the vision and paved the way for all of us.

Peace, Love & Cheese,

Christine Hyatt 

ACS President

Learn, network, enjoy

cheese and fun in heaps! Head to

Raleigh with these peeps! 

We look forward to seeing you in Raleigh!

Nora Weiser

ACS Executive Director  

Tips for Packing Your Cheeses for Raleigh  

The 2012 ACS Judging & Competition is sponsored by Atlanta Foods International.

With this year's ACS Conference & Competition just around the corner, it's time to dust off that overnight bag and get yourself ready for four days of discovering new cheeses, learning even more in the educational sessions, and making new friends who share your passions and interests.

The Judging & Competition Committee has spent the last 11 months readying our packing lists and covering all of the details so that this year's Judging & Competition comes off without a hitch. As your entries arrive on July 26 and 27, a team of seasoned volunteers joined by some new team members will quickly get them unpacked, processed, and organized in the refrigerated trailers to await the judging process.

We are happy to say that the vast majority of cheeses that arrive each year show up in excellent condition. Sadly, we always get some entries that arrive requiring immediate attention. There are a number of reasons why this happens. Lack of adequate refrigerant, poor insulation, and loose or very little packing material are the main culprits. Other factors include too cold a refrigerant, like dry ice, melted/burst ice packs, or flimsy boxes. Also, in the fast-paced age of modern shipping techniques, nothing is guaranteed in tiptop shape if it is thrown too hard or crushed. So, when packing your entries, be sure to pack for the worst-case scenario. Your products are valuable and should be shipped with care and attention.

Any entries that have had a rough trip to Raleigh will be sent to triage, where a carefully chosen volunteer cares for them. They are examined and re-examined by the senior members of the Judging & Competition Committee. These entries are noted, documented, and logged as triage cheeses. As with anything done in the Judging & Competition forum, all information about entries is confidential. Time and care determine whether a product can be released back into competition and judged. This is, of course, a worst-case scenario, and we would like to reduce the number of casualties caused by shipping conditions.

To help with this effort, several ACS members have put together two brief, informative videos outlining techniques and suggestions for getting your cheese to Raleigh safely. They also include important information about getting your documents, labeling, and packing slips together. Please take a moment to review these videos. Then, let us know what you think. Any suggestions or comments from our members are greatly appreciated.

• 2012 ACS Judging & Competition Shipping Tips  
• Rogue Creamery's Cheese Packing & Shipping Tips  

So remember, when packing up for the conference in Raleigh, keep yourself cool and your cheeses even cooler!  

Best Regards,

Tom Kooiman

ACS Judging & Competition Committee Vice Chair

You're Invited: Important Member Sessions in Raleigh

Thank You to the 2012 ACS Conference Sponsors

ACS is incredibly grateful for the generous support of the nearly 100 sponsors of the 2012 Conference & Competition. This group of industry members has made our events in Raleigh possible. Please be extend your thanks to these sponsors when you see them in Raleigh!