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Have You Made Plans for American Cheese Month?
Now's the Time!
 The third annual American Cheese Month is just around the corner. How will you be celebrating this October? Here are some ways to get involved:
- Ask your state representative to adopt a resolution declaring October to be American Cheese Month. Contact ACS for a template.
- Share photos of your American Cheese Month events, tastings, and more via our Twitter (#AmCheeseMonth) and Facebook pages.
- Click here for more ideas designed with cheesemakers, retailers, restaurateurs, and other industry members in mind!
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Save the Dates for ACS 2014 in Sacramento, CA!
The 2014 ACS Conference & Competition, "Celebrating the American Cheese Plate," will be held from July 29 - August 1. Check out the Sacramento 2014 promotional video and mark your calendar!
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2013 Conference Sessions Available Online
Anyone who has attended an ACS Conference can attest to the fact that the four days fly by. This year was no different: Dozens of educational sessions were packed into a short time frame, and it was impossible to attend all of them, or to retain all of the great information that was shared.
Whether you were unable to attend a session because it conflicted with another session of interest, it was just a little too early after a late Friday night, or you couldn't make it to the Conference at all, have no fear. ACS has posted many of this year's sessions online! You can view presentations by simply logging into the member section of the ACS website and clicking on the hyperlink of a session you would like to view. This is a great opportunity to further your knowledge on many cheese-related topics!
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A Special Thank You to Conference Volunteers
Thank you to all of the volunteers at this year's ACS Conference & Competition! We could not pull this event off without your tireless enthusiasm and commitment! This year, we had over 280 volunteers cover 340 volunteer shifts, offering 2,000 hours of their time. Thank you so much, and I hope to see you all next year in Sacramento!
Jana Hemphill
Member Services Specialist
Thanks from the Festival of Cheese Committee
One of our favorite things about ACS is the willingness of acquaintances and perfect strangers to come together to move the boulder up the hill.
This was again evident during the work done to pull off the Festival of Cheese with dawn to dusk prep on July 31 and 800+ volunteer hours given selflessly on August 3 for our 30th anniversary conference festival.
Our heartfelt thanks go out to those who pulled together and gave up conference and personal time to organize and set up the display of 1,794 cheeses in ten hours with the good cheer, artistic flair, and hell-bent determination to create (with 20 minutes to spare before the deadline) the Festival of Cheese.
We hope the friendships formed as cheese wires flew, boards were sanitized, trash was emptied, and no cubes were cut, with beautiful flowers and herbs lovingly placed, will be relationships long lived. We all come together to honor the cheesemakers. They are the core of our celebration.
We met our goals.
We salute all of the amazing volunteers without whom the conference would not hum.
And HUM it did!
You ROCK!
Again in Sacramento!
The Festival Committee:
Debra Dickerson
Michele Haram
Kelly Sheehan
Jeanne Rodier
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Call for Cheese: The Great American Beer Festival!
 ACS will celebrate American Cheese Month at the Great American Beer Festival once again! This annual celebration -- the premier craft beer festival in the U.S. -- will take place from October 10-12 in Denver, CO. Tickets sold out in 20 minutes, but we're lucky to have a dedicated cheese tasting area where ACS members' products are sampled to 50,000 guests. Would you like ACS to showcase your cheese? Email Steve Binns for details!
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Tour the Terrace Passport: Winners of a Free 2014 Conference Registration
Congratulations to the winners of the Tour the Terrace Passport drawing! Two winners were randomly drawn from all of the completed passports submitted in Madison at the ACS Conference. The winners of free 2014 ACS Conference registrations are John Chumbris of Whole Foods Market and Chris Palumbo of Fairfield Cheese Company. Congratulations!
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Reflecting on a Milestone Conference & Looking to the Future
After what I can only describe as an ACS Conference for the record book s, we decided to give everyone a chance to enjoy some sunshine, barbequing, family, and friends before getting back in touch.
From where I sit, Madison was everything we had hoped it to be: a chance for our organization to celebrate our shared history, engage in our present, and dream and plan for our future. Looking around the room at key events, it was inspiring to see such a broad spectrum of our industry and affiliated industries in one place in an environment that fostered education, networking, debate, and celebration.
Our hosts in Wisconsin were par excellence and our co-chairs, Jeanne Carpenter, Sara Hill, and Bob Wills and the volunteer conference planning team set the bar high for Sacramento next year. The ACS staff and event production team showed us once again why making the move to self management will allow us to reach new highs. Nora, Michelle, Becca, Jane, Jana, and Steve deserve our sincere thanks for their commitment and contributions at this critical time in our history. You made us proud. And thanks so much to our sponsors, without whom none of this would be possible.
So, aside from some really fun times with pub crawls, marching bands, best-in-show cheeses being spirited to Madison through the night, and that curious looking specimen (!) of Dilleggio, what really happened at this milestone conference -- and where does it go from here? Well, the CCP exam, educational programs, tours, and tasting sessions seemed to be winners, and we received a lot of positive feedback about the Business Meeting and the level of activity it reflected. We appreciated your patience, and for sticking around... But above and beyond all of that, what can we take away from our 30th Anniversary Conference?
First, we all learned something this year, and we realized that ACS can be an indispensable resource to our industry and the public at large if we tap into the talent, ideas, and energy of our members. Not a small asset. Odessa Piper set our tone, and then she stuck around for the conference. Her observations, like those of Temple Grandin in Raleigh, are that we are a vibrant industry that has its best days ahead of it. Such diversity of age, scale, place, and thinking. And yet it all works.
Secondly, we discussed the issues: good, bad, and indifferent, frankly but constructively, and with an eye toward the future. A newspaper article about the conference talked about the power of our Town Hall Meeting, its uniqueness, and what it means to our members. From the point of view of your Board of Directors, we received some very clear and helpful input about what you expect and hope for from ACS moving forward. Look for solid movement on minimum standards, advocacy, and best practices. We are going to have a jam-packed fall board meeting in Sacramento, and from what I have heard from our board members, they are energized by the dialogue we've had and are committed to moving us all forward without undue delay.
Finally, we celebrated the volunteerism that has gotten us to this point and which will enable us to reach the next level. I would like to reiterate the call that we made during the conference for our talented members to step up and volunteer on committees that can benefit from your knowledge, commitment, and generosity. Sponsorship, membership, and strategic alliances are just a few of the areas that could use some good old volunteerism. Let us know what your bandwidth and desire to participate is, and we can make it work. Contact info@cheesesociety.org if you would like to volunteer in some capacity.
I, for one, go into the next organizational year with a sense of clarity, energy, and enthusiasm. We have undisputed challenges ahead, but we also have consensus that ACS is up to the task of setting the standard for quality and safety, above and beyond what anyone else expects of us. Will it happen in a nanosecond? No. Will it be perfect and will everyone agree with every decision or direction? Invariably, no. But we will continue to engage, encourage input and participation, and make the world take notice of and appreciate cheese made in America. Buckle your seatbelt. The next thirty years are going to be a great ride.
Have a wonderful end of summer, mark your calendar for Sacramento (July 29-August 1) and make sure you have your American Cheese Month plans in place!
Cheers,
Greg O'Neill
President
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Strength in (and Beyond) Numbers
 WOW! There is very little else I can say about our 2013 Conference in Madison earlier this month. We had an amazing turnout of engaged and passionate cheese people, which led to an exciting few days in Wisconsin. Thank you to all of you (over 1,000!) who attended, presented, sponsored, volunteered, or lent your expertise to make the conference a success. Check out some photos from this year's event in our Facebook album! Those who know me, know that I am a fan of Strengthsfinder 2.0. I find it to be a fun and useful tool to uncover people's natural strengths, and make the most of their talents and time. The online assessment asks that you answer a series of questions, and in the end you are told your five top "strengths" from a group of about 35 strengths identified by the Gallup organization based on millions of people's data. As much as I value those insights, seeing the ACS team on the ground in Madison made me think that my strengths may have been misidentified. My five strengths are obviously (and in no particular order) Michelle, Becca, Steve, Jana, and Jane. I just have to take a moment to recognize this amazing group of people and the hard work they do for ACS and its members -- always with professionalism, thoughtfulness, and a great attitude. Putting together each year's conference and competition is a huge and challenging undertaking, and I wouldn't be able (nor would I want) to do it without them. Coming off the heels of Madison, we are already forging ahead with plans for 2014 in Sacramento, and as you can imagine, this group has ideas flying for improvements, additions, and creative ways to enhance your conference experience. I hope that all of you are able to recognize that, despite what any online business tool tells you, your strengths lie in the people who make your organization -- and you -- look good! Sincerely,
Nora Weiser
Executive Director |
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Call for Presentations! ACS in Sacramento
Do you ever find yourself thinking, "If only ACS would present this topic..."? Well, you can help shape the Annual Conference program by submitting your session ideas. The 2014 Call for Presentations is open, and we'd love to hear from you!
We are accepting session proposals for the 2014 Annual Conference & Competition in Sacramento, CA. Each year, ACS disseminates the Call for Presentations to our members and the general public who are interested in submitting educational session ideas for the conference, as well as for educational outreach throughout the year. ACS invites session proposals aimed at educating cheesemakers, retailers, and other cheese industry professionals about best practices, new trends, research, and improving products and processes.
The theme for the 2014 conference is: "Celebrating the American Cheese Plate."
Sacramento holds the title of "Farm to Fork Capital" of the U.S. As a central location for the state's agriculture and food production, the city celebrates the incredible bounty of a vast variety of specialty foods and beverages including produce, wine, craft beer, and cheese, all produced locally, in or near the central valley of California.
The 2014 ACS Conference will enhance the idea of local, to interpret it more broadly, reflecting the excitement and growth of the artisan and specialty cheese community. As a coming together of ACS members, the conference is a celebration of this "local" idea. Just as a good cheese plate brings together a variety of tastes, textures, and experiences, so too does the ACS Conference. Programming around this theme should connect to the idea of collaboration, creativity, community, agricultural heritage, defining our shared interests across regions, and how to best spread the success of specialty cheese.
We are looking for session proposals that encompass the 2014 theme -- but don't let the ideas stop there! Other valuable topics include food safety, affinage, current regulatory events/trends, marketing, how to run a successful business, etc. We are open to any and all programming topics, as they may be used for programming throughout the year, not just at conference.
We look forward to hearing from you!
Michelle Lee, ACS Programs & Operations Director
Jane Bauer, ACS Education & Outreach Manager
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Become an Official Conference Cheesemonger!
Are you ready to test your mettle and skills as the next Official Conference Cheesemonger? Now's your chance to throw your hat in the ring for the opportunity to serve in this prestigious role. Join past cheesemongers Paige Lamb, Jeanne Rodier, Kelly Sheehan, Alexander Kast, Rachel Perez, Jason Herbert, and Leah McFadden in an elite group of cheese professionals who have taken on this role and received all of the benefits this volunteer position offers.
As an Official ACS Conference Cheesemonger, you will be eligible for the following:
- Roundtrip airfare to Sacramento, CA
- 7 nights stay at the conference hotel
- Personalized ACS logo chef's jacket
- Free registration for our 2015 conference (you'll be too busy in Sacramento to catch the sessions!)
- Your profile, with your company logo, on our web site, in CheeseBytes, and in the conference event guide
Consider adding this prestigious role to your resume. A full job description and application are now available on our website. Please note the deadline for applying is November 1, 2013.
We hope to see you in Sacramento!
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Certified Cheese Professional™ Exam Updates
 Thank you to everyone who helped make the second annual Certified Cheese Professional ™ Exam a great success! Those individuals who sat for this year's exam will be notified with their results on Thursday, September 5 via email. Results, and pins and patches for those individuals who passed the exam, will be mailed after this date. If you have any questions about the exam in the meantime, please contact Jane Bauer at jbauer@cheesesociety.org.
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News from the Judging & Competition Committee:
Volunteers Make the Difference
As I get off my plane on a late Monday night in Portland, Oregon after the ACS 30th Anniversary Conference, I reflect on all of the hard work accomplished by the ACS staff and, of course, all of the hard-working volunteers. Each year, this dedicated group arrives at a different location to offer their expertise and tireless labor. This year was no different, aside from the fact that we received, sorted, and stored a record 1,794 entries for the annual ACS Judging & Competition!
The receiving process, to me, is a work of art. I am always so very impressed with the precision and speed that takes place in these first two critical days when we receive entries. Each product that arrives is checked and double-checked through a number of master lists and cooler inventories. If one thing is wrong, or a cheese is not where it is expected to be, someone in our system will catch it. This is also where an entry becomes anonymous as it makes its way to the coolers to be stored until the actual judging days.
When the judges arrive early the next week to start their task of evaluating the 1,794 entries, we as a collective group move into another phase of the Judging &
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Volunteers inventorying cheeses to be judged.
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Competition. We have a welcome number of new volunteers arrive for this part, and because it is closer to the conference, we tend to get more of them than we have during the receiving process.
The movement and tempering of cheese during this time is key. Our goal is to deliver the entries at the correct temperature for tasting, so they are neither too cold nor too warm during the evaluation process. Once the cheeses are judged, they are then carefully re-wrapped, re-inventoried, and taken back to the appropriate refrigerated cooler where they are inventoried yet again. During the judging process, the entries are inventoried a minimum of three times. This may seem excessive -- however, during this crucial time when so many cheeses are in motion throughout the building, we don't want to lose a single one. Again, volunteers are the key.
Once the cheeses are evaluated and we are certain we don't have any ties for first
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The J&C progress scoreboard where we can see in real time what has been accomplished.
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place, the "First Place Cheeses" take special precedence because they will move on to be judged yet again for the Best of Show round. For the past several years, our beloved Fred Hull took on the task of separating the first place cheeses so they can easily be identified for the Best of Show evaluation. It is a very important job that must be handled by only one individual. This year, Rich Rogers took on this role and executed it flawlessly.
Amy Masoni served as our Librarian again this year. This role is critical to ensuring that all of the paperwork for each entry can be accounted for at all times. We know that, for our members, the judges' evaluations are often the most important part of the judging process. We owe a special thanks to these volunteers whose roles are paramount. I also want to give a sincere thank you to all of our needed and trusted volunteers for all of their hard work this year. While too many to name here, I want to underscore again that the Judging & Competition would not be possible without their support. Thank you!
 | | Key Committee members and pals Rachel Perez and Matt Bonano at Monona Terrace. |
The Judging & Competition Committee will kick off planning for next year in mid-August. The committee will be a bit more rested and ready to start talking about how we can make Sacramento's Judging & Competition even better.
My friend, mentor, and fellow committee member John Greeley reminded me that our time is the most important thing that we have to give when we choose to volunteer. A volunteer not only gives up time away from their career, but also their family. What they get back in kind is an incredible amount of knowledge shared amongst each other, and friendships that will last a lifetime.
Thank you, again, to all who helped make this process a success. We hope you will be a part of the Judging & Competition "family" in Sacramento!
Sincerely,
Tom Kooiman
ACS Judging & Competition Chair
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Connect to ACS
Stay connected to ACS no matter where you are! Follow us on Facebook, Twitter (@CheeseSociety), Tumblr, or
LinkedIn. Get the latest updates from the cheese community, connect with fellow cheesemakers, retailers and enthusiasts, and tell us what's happening in your world.
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