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Is Your Membership Information Correct?
Our records show that your mailing address is:
,
If this is incorrect, simply click here to log in and update your address. Once logged in, click "My Account" and then "Edit/View My Information." If you have trouble updating your profile online, please email Jana or call 720-328-2788.
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Cheesemakers: Feature Your Cheese at 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. ACS has a dedicated cheese tasting area to sample our members' products to 50,000 guests. Would you like ACS to showcase your cheese? Email Steve Binns for details!
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Get Ready for American Cheese Month!
 American Cheese Month is almost here. Check out some easy ways to get involved!
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Comt� Scholarship Offered to ACS CCPs™
The Comt� Cheese Association has announced a scholarship opportunity for ACS CCPs™, offering them a unique opportunity to win an all-expenses-paid trip to the Comt� region of France to learn first-hand about the cheese's history and production, and to explore the region and its culture.
To apply, ACS CCPs must submit an entry form and short essay by December 2, 2013. You can learn more here.
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NEW Member Benefit: ServSafe Discount!
ACS members can now enjoy a 10% discount on the National Restaurant Association's ServSafe� Food Safety Management Training online program! The program covers:
* Importance of Food Safety
* Good Personal Hygiene
* Time & Temperature Control
* Preventing Cross-Contamination
* Cleaning and Sanitizing
* Safe Food Preparation
* Receiving and Storing Food
* Methods of Thawing, Cooking, Cooling, and Reheating Food
* HACCP
* Food Safety Regulations
This is a great resource for all involved in the cheese industry, and especially for those interested in taking the Certified Cheese Professional™ Exam.
PRICING:
ServSafe� Manager Online Course: ACS member price $112.50 (retail price $125)
ServSafe� Manager Exam Answer Sheet: ACS member price $34.20 (retail price $38)
OR
ServSafe� Manager Online Seat Voucher: ACS member price $32.40 (retail price $36)
Click here to take advantage of this great benefit! To receive the ACS member price, enter "CHEESE" into the discount code field when paying.
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2013 Conference Sessions Available Online
ACS has posted many of this year's conference sessions online! View handouts or presentations by 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 topics!
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Cheese in the News
Cellars at Jasper Hill Partners on Artisan Cheese Program, Perishable News, Sept 17 Key to Utah cheese maker's success is 'just making cheese every day', The Salt Lake Tribune, Sept 17 Milwaukee wants to use cheese brine on icy roads, Chicago Tribune, Sept 14 Comte Shows There's More Than Gruyere In The Alps, NPR, Sept 11 Slow Cheese Campaign: Preserving the Diversity of Dairy Products, Perishable News, Sept 6 Three cheesemonger's top kid-friendly snack ideas, The Globe and Mail, Sept 3
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The Season is a Changin'
All the signs are there; the season is a changin'. In the world of cheese, that means some shifts in styles, a lot of harvest festivals, the last weeks of farmers' markets and, for many, the last weeks of optimal grass feeding. Oh yes, lest we forget, it is time for American Cheese Month!
In this, our 30th anniversary year, we want to do it up right and encourage our entire industry, from producers to distributors to retailers to writers and chefs and enthusiasts, to dial up and celebrate the amazing creations we are making here in the Americas. There are so many ways to do it and a little creativity goes a long way -- but by all means, do it! ACS can help so if you need some ideas of programs you can be part of, just contact 720-328-2788 or [email protected] and we will be more than happy to assist. When you know what you are doing, make sure to let us know as well, so that we can include it in the American Cheese Month website, social media sites, and more. American Cheese Month was the brainchild of Greg's predecessor and current board chair Christine Hyatt, and it has gotten bigger and better every year! Thanks, Christine.
Speaking of celebrating American cheese, a number of American cheesemakers and industry denizens have descended on the small town of Bra, in the Piedmont region of Italy, for a celebration of all things formaggi at the Slow Food World Cheese Festival. Having never been, we must say that we are thrilled to experience it and also represent ACS in meetings with many of our international industry counterparts.
In other news, our committees are getting down to work on a number of the issues we discussed in Madison -- including many that arose from our annual Town Hall Meeting. We are continually impressed by the volunteerism demonstrated by our membership and the results are plain to see. There would be no CCP exam, winter webinars, or a host of other ACS programs without them. Have you volunteered yet to join a committee? Let us know where you think you can help, or we can also tell you where the need is greatest. Thanks for your consideration.
Enjoy this beautiful time of year and we look forward to an October filled with tons of wonderful American cheese!
Best wishes from Bra,
Greg O'Neill
President
Nora Weiser
Executive Director
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Congratulations! 2013 Certified Cheese Professionals™
 One hundred thirty two (132) individuals passed the 2013 Certified Cheese Professional™ Exam, which was held on July 31 in Madison, Wisconsin. This prestigious group includes cheese professionals from throughout the United States and Canada, bringing the total number of ACS Certified Cheese Professionals™ (or ACS CCPs™) in North America to 253 individuals. For a complete directory of ACS CCPs, visit http://tinyurl.com/acs-ccps.
The 2013 class of ACS CCPs includes cheesemakers, retailers, distributors, restaurateurs, scientists, and academics. Each ACS CCP receives an official lapel pin, embroidered patch, a certificate, and the right to call him or herself an ACS Certified Cheese Professional™. ACS CCPs are required to demonstrate continued active participation and professional development within the industry to maintain their credentials, and they must recertify every three years.
The 2014 exam will be administered on Tuesday, July 29 in Sacramento, CA, immediately prior to the ACS Conference. If you're considering applying, don't delay -- as in prior years, spaces are filling up quickly. Apply today!
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With Ever-Changing Seasons, Nothing Stays the Same
It's hard to imagine that green leaves soon will be turning yellow, orange, and red, and we'll be experiencing the first frost of the season, particularly when it feels like spring to me. There are so many exciting changes taking place within the Judging & Competition (J&C) Committee. Committee members, old and new, will have opportunities to share, build, and invigorate as we begin planning for the 2014 Judging & Competition in Sacramento, CA.
For the first time since its inception, the J&C Committee will utilize smaller subcommittees to accomplish tasks that have previously been discussed by the entire committee. Among those already identified, we will have a new "Executive Committee " comprised of the Committee Chair, Vice Chair, Immediate Past Chair, and ACS staff liaisons, which will allow urgent decisions to be made more quickly. The Category Review subcommittee is set to get underway on October 2 and will begin the arduous task of reviewing every category to ensure all entries are represented accurately. And, finally, the Logistics & Receiving subcommittee will examine areas like receiving, triage, and staging to ensure we have measured procedures in place for a smooth event in 2014 and beyond.
I'm extremely excited to work with this year's group of talented volunteers and would like to welcome four new members to the J&C family: Craig Gile, Cabot Creamery; Kirsten Hindes, ACS CCP, Atlanta Foods International; Julia Powers, ACS CCP, The Traveling Cheesemonger; and Rich Rogers, ACS CCP, Scardello.
The vast amount of history and knowledge garnered from our veteran committee members coupled with the eagerness and fresh insights of our recent inductees ensures this year's J&C is certain to reach new heights. We hope you'll follow our journey in CheeseBytes as we update you on important news and changes.
We look forward to seeing you in Sacramento!
Warm regards (after all, it is fall!),
Sincerely,
Michelle Lee
ACS Programs & Operations Director
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Certification Exam Feedback
Most everyone who sat for the second ACS CCP exam in Madison filled out an exit survey on site after completing the exam. Their responses will be used to improve the exam process, and to make the entire endeavor even more successful in future years. The survey serves both as a suggestion box as well as a critique sheet.
The Certification Committee has reviewed the exit survey and would like to share some of the feedback with our members. If you took the exam but did not take the survey, and you would like to share your feedback with ACS, please send your comments to Jane Bauer at [email protected].
- One suggestion in the exit survey was that we have a large screen in front of the examination room that illustrates the start-up process and what each candidate should see on their computer screen. It is easier to get up and running if you can see exactly what you should be seeing, rather than being told what you should be seeing... [read full story]
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Do You Have What It Takes? 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.
Official ACS Conference Cheesemonges are 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
Add this prestigious role to your resume! A full job description and application are available on our website. The deadline for applying is November 1, 2013.
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A Goat Dairy with a Story to Tell
When Allison Hooper and Bob Reese began Vermont Creamery (formerly Vermont Butter & Cheese Creamery), they had a vision for the future. That vision was a "Vermont landscape dotted with goat farms." Now, almost 30 years later, Allison and Bob have taken the first steps toward making that vision a reality with the creation of Ayers Brook Goat Dairy.
 Ayers Brook Goat Dairy, in Randolph, VT, is the first demonstration farm of its kind in the United States. Its mission is "to demonstrate the financial viability of the farm." Future and current goat farmers will be able to learn the ins and outs of goat dairying, including how to devise a ration for goats that results in good milk production, the best way to raise good forages in Vermont and other places in the country, how best to use existing infrastructure that dairy farmers may have in place, and how to make the entire goat dairy operation a profitable enterprise.
"We really need to get into the business and be able to supply new farmers with very good breeding stock and a better understanding of the finances of the enterprise," says Allison. "We can do it and be transparent... [read full story]
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In Their Words: 2013 Scholarship Recipients
Each recipient of a full 2013 ACS Conference scholarship was asked to write an essay about their time in Madison. Whether you're interested in their perspective on what proved to be a milestone conference for ACS, or you're considering applying for a scholarship yourself, you're sure to find inspiration in their words. Click on each scholarship recipient's name below to read his or her essay.
If you're interested in applying for a scholarship to attend the 2014 ACS Conference in Sacramento, California (July 29-August 1, 2014), applications for cheesemakers, retailers, students, and chefs are now available online. Apply today!
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Connect to ACS
Stay connected to ACS no matter where you are! Follow us on Facebook, Twitter (@CheeseSociety), 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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