A newscaster last night said, "On any given day, any one of the next five stories would be a headline. But with all that's going on today, not so." It struck me as funny, because it seems that way here at ACS. There is so much going on that I hope you'll read this entire CheeseBytes issue to get fully up to speed.

I will start with the obvious headline: by now you should have received a Member Alert asking you to provide a comment via the Federal Register on FDA's risk assessment on listeriosis from soft-ripened cheese consumption. ACS submitted its official comment to the Federal Register on Friday, which represents the hard work and collaboration of many dedicated and knowledgeable members of our organization and the cheese community at large. My sincere thanks go out to all of them. Please check the Member Alert for suggestions as to how you can participate in the comment period, which ends on April 29. Your voice matters, and the more comments our members submit, the more impact they will have. We urge you to keep it constructive while making your voice heard!

On to other big news. As we prepare to celebrate ACS's big three-oh milestone in Madison this summer, our board and staff kicked off the anniversary festivities with a reception in Denver, ACS's hometown. We welcomed local members, partners, and vendors who help with our website, branding, accounting, and much, much more. This coincided with our first ever Spring "Deep Dive" Board Meeting in Denver. It was an amazing opportunity to firmly establish our roots after three years in the Mile High City, and to thank the many people who have helped us flourish there.

Our board meeting in Denver proved to be one of our best, designed for the board to meet face-to-face with ACS staff and address the big picture issues facing the organization this year, and in the future. Many of the topics we addressed will be discussed in greater detail in Madison, and you will see the results in the programming and benefits our members enjoy in the coming months and years. Our volunteer board provided direction for ACS's amazing staff to pursue, in order to execute the vision and mission that have been established for ACS in recent years.

Some of the greatest progress in Denver came in the area of "best practices" for both cheesemakers and retailers. Our Body of Knowledge is being tapped to create best practices guides that are easy for industry members to use and follow. This is a major undertaking, and we hope that ACS members will appreciate the hard work of our volunteer committees by using these guides, once they are complete. 

Also coming in Madison: look for beautiful and impactful new branding for ACS, plus a proposed member Code of Safety and Conduct that reflects our leadership position in an ever-changing industry...plus a whole lot more.  

That newscaster was right: there are too many headlines for one newscast. Please remember to take action on the risk assessment by April 29 -- and if you don't mind sharing your comments with our staff, it would be most appreciated.

Thanks for all that you do for ACS, and for cheese lovers everywhere.

Greg O'Neill
President

Despite two snowstorms in the first two weeks of April, it is starting to feel like spring in Colorado. And it has been a busy season for ACS so far. Our Regulatory & Academic Committee has been tireless in assessing and developing an appropriate response to the FDA/Health Canada risk assessment on listeriosis from soft-ripened cheese consumption. We posted our official response to the Federal Register on Friday; you can learn more about our response in this issue.  

Our Board of Directors has been doing some difficult work as well, thinking strategically about the direction of ACS and the industry. Last weekend, we were delighted to host the board in Denver for the first time since setting up shop here three years ago. We spent two jam-packed days discussing, and sometimes even resolving, challenging issues that will have a profound impact on our future course. We are excited to share some of these new initiatives and concepts with you in Madison, and we hope they will spur some lively discussions at the Town Hall Meeting. Thanks go out to all those who joined us for a special 30th Anniversary Reception while our board was here in Denver -- it was wonderful to see such a strong local cheese community turn out for the event. 

Cheeses and accompaniments on display at the ACS 30th Anniversary Reception in Denver

Special thanks are due to those who helped make the event possible: the cheesemakers who generously shared their wonderful cheeses, Gourmet Foods International for coordinating all of the cheeses, 34 Degrees for making sure the cheese wasn't lonely, Great Divide Brewing Company for providing local craft beers, and Colorado Cider Company for introducing everyone to their hard cider made from locally-grown Colorado apples. It was a lovely evening, which fortunately fell between the two aforementioned snowstorms!

Nora Weiser
Executive Director

ACS Responds to Risk Assessment on Listeriosis from Soft-Ripened Cheese Consumption: Members are Encouraged to Comment before April 29 Deadline 

Regulatory News & Updates 

Comment Period Extended for FDA Pilot Project Report

Preventive Controls and Produce Safety Rules: Frequently Asked Questions    

• Questions & Answers on the Preventive Controls Proposed Rule

From the Member Services Desk: Promote Your Products at Consumer and Industry Events This Year!   

ACS members who produce cheese or other specialty foods have the opportunity to promote their products during several consumer- and industry-oriented events throughout the year. This is a great opportunity to get your products in front of consumers, retailers, and distributors!

"You'll be happy to know that GABF is packed full of educated attendees genuinely interested in food, not to mention craft beer. We look forward to participating at the ACS booth each year and recommend it to cheese manufacturers of all sizes." -Jason Baxter, Cypress Grove Chevre

This June 14 and 15, ACS will showcase member cheeses at SAVOR: An American Craft Beer & Food Experience in New York City. This event sells out annually to 2,500 enthusiasts across each session. Cheesemakers with an interest in having their products sampled at SAVOR may contact ACS to learn more.  

ACS members who are also members of the Specialty Food Association (formerly NASFT) can reserve a booth in the ACS Pavilion at the Winter and Summer Fancy Food Shows. During Fancy Food Show space draw, our cheesemaker members can request a space in the pavilion. Specialty food producers and distributors can request a space near the pavilion. Availability for both areas is limited, as they are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Members benefit tremendously from being part of the pavilion -- one of the only areas on the show floor where similar products are exhibited together. It's a real destination for those seeking American cheeses.

Member cheeses on display at SAVOR: An American Craft Beer & Food Experience

ACS also partners with other national and regional consumer events throughout the year to promote our members' products. We hope you'll take advantage of these great opportunities! For more details on any of our events, please contact Rebecca Orozco or call 720-328-2788.  

Progress So Far, and a Webinar 

On April 3, members of the ACS Judging & Competition Committee led an educational webinar geared toward our cheesemaker members. While all ACS members were encouraged to join us for the 90 minute online session, the topic was focused specifically on online entry, category changes, and best shipping practices.

ACS Programs & Operations Director Michelle Lee covered changes to the 2013 entry process, including ACS's initiative to go "green" by mailing a postcard to participants, as well as the changes that were made to our online entry system. The online entry system holds two primary functions: The first is to streamline the entry process and make it fast and accurate. Once a cheesemaker has entered and locked in the details about a specific entry, they are able to move through the process even faster in following years. This year, 2012 entrants will have the option to duplicate and then modify last year's entries, to help expedite their entry process. The second goal of the online entry system is to go paperless, and strive towards a more "green" competition process.

Next in the webinar, John Greeley talked about 2013 category changes. This included some minor changes, some not so minor changes, and a few brand-new categories. There is already a lot of buzz about a very popular style of cheese that has never been judged in our forum before -- cheese curds. We encourage you to review all of the changes and additions for 2013. We are always happy to answer any questions you may have about category selection for your entries. Please feel free to contact the ACS office at 720-328-2788 for clarification on entering your products.

I shared tips on how to safely get your cheeses to Madison, Wisconsin this summer. Remember, this year's receiving dates at the Monona Terrace Community & Convention Center are Thursday, July 25 and Friday, July 26. And, as a quick note, if you are entering fresh curds for judging, then Friday the 26th is the best day for curds to arrive. We will have a special judging team on site immediately following the receiving days to make sure curds are evaluated while they are as fresh as possible.

Finally, David Grotenstein presented a pictorial review of the cheese receiving process, including triage, sorting, organizing, and storing the entries after they arrive at the convention center. There is a tremendous amount of care taken when entering and packing cheeses, and the Judging & Competition Committee wants to assure you that all cheeses are handled with the care and respect that they deserve.

A special "shout out" should be given to the ACS staff in Denver. Thanks again to Jane Bauer, Steve Binns, and Michelle Lee for their work in making this webinar a success. It was recorded and is available for members to view at any time.

Finally, judges are locked in for the 2013 Judging & Competition. I would like to thank them in advance for being so instrumental in seeing that your cheeses are evaluated respectfully and professionally. 

The 2013 ACS Judging & Competition is sponsored by Atlanta Foods International

We look forward to seeing you and your cheeses in Madison!