 Bob Wills of Cedar Grove Cheese and Clock Shadow Creamery, and Mike Bandstra of Frisian Farms hand-delivered their competition cheeses yesterday to the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines. Good luck to all of the cheesemakers entered in this year's Judging & Competition!
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ACS, Dairy Innovation Center Launch Artisan Advisory Team for Food SafetyCheese Reporter, July 22
The Innovation Center for US Dairy and the American Cheese Society (ACS) have joined to create a new Artisan Advisory Team to help promote food safety at the artisan/farmstead level.
The initiative -- beginning with the creation of a website designed as a free repository of food safety information -- would be available not only to ACS members, but to the entire artisan cheesemaking community...[read full story]
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 - Andy Hatch, Uplands Cheese
- Mateo Kehler, Cellars at Jasper Hill
- Marieke Penterman, Holland's Family Cheese
- Jeremy Stephenson, Spring Brook Farm
- Vern Caldwell, Pholia Farm Creamery & Dairy
- Peggy Smith, Cowgirl Creamery
- Rebecca Williams, Many Fold Farm
- Jackie Chang, Haystack Mountain Cheese
- Beehive Cheese Company
- Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Co.
- Maytag Dairy Farms
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 To cheese is neat, to tweet is sweet! Get ready to hashtag your Des Moines experience: #cheese2016
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Are You With Cheese?
 We are still in need of volunteers to share their time and talents to help make "Cheese in the Heartland" possible! All volunteers will receive a special-edition "I'm With Cheese" t-shirt (shown above on Executive Director Nora Weiser) and a complimentary ticket to the Festival of Cheese on Saturday, July 30, which you are welcome to share with friends or colleagues. Sign up today!
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Put your cheese knowledge to the test! Join us for Cheese Trivia Night on Friday, July 29 from 9:00 PM - 11:00 PM in Des Moines. Build a team of four, pick a fun team name, and see if you can correctly answer questions powered by Culture. You could win prizes -- and bragging rights!
Only a few spots remain: contact us soon to sign up to compete!
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See You in the Heartland!
ACS staff and volunteers have arrived in Des Moines, and we're excited to welcome more than 1,200 industry members (and 25,000 pounds of cheese) to "Cheese in the Heartland," the 33rd Annual ACS Conference & Competition. Yesterday, we worked to receive a record number of entries for the 2016 ACS Judging & Competition: 1,843 cheeses and cultured dairy products! This year's event will offer unparalleled educational and networking opportunities. If you haven't registered yet, we encourage you to do so in advance, so that you can avoid waiting in line at the Iowa Events Center.
Wondering who else will be there? Check out our latest attendee list. You'll get to reconnect with old friends and colleagues, meet many new ones, and spend time with the industry's movers and shakers!
If you can't join us in-person, you can follow the action via social media (#cheese2016) and download the Conference Mobile App (text cheese2016 to 99000) to message with attendees, view session handouts, and stay in-the-loop via push notifications. You can also celebrate virtually with this year's winning cheesemakers via a live-stream of our Awards Ceremony on Friday, July 29. We look forward to seeing you in the Heartland!  Steve, Jane, Eliza, Jeff, Nora, Sarah, Becca, Michelle, and Amanda The ACS Team
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Regulatory News: FDA Releases Summary of Raw Milk Cheese Sampling Assignment
On Thursday, FDA released a summary of its raw milk cheese sampling assignment. The report is part of a larger package covering FDA's overall approach to sampling, and their recent cucumber/pepper sampling assignment, as well. The report shows a safe track record for raw milk cheese made by licensed producers and aged at least 60 days. The release of this report prior to ACS's Preventive Controls Working Group meeting next week in Des Moines allows the group to be informed by these latest findings. You can read the full report at http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Food/ComplianceEnforcement/Sampling/UCM512217.pdf. Dr. Nega Beru of FDA's Office of Food Safety will address this report and share other important regulatory updates on Friday, July 29 in Des Moines at the 33rd Annual ACS Conference. We hope you'll join us to get the latest information from FDA.
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ACS CCP News
Important Reminder for Exam Takers
The 2016 ACS CCP� Exam will take place on Wednesday, July 27 at 1:00 PM at the Iowa Events Center. For the latest updates on the exam, be sure to check for emails from Jane Bauer, ACS Education & Outreach Manager. The ACS team wishes this year's exam-takers the best of luck!
Discounted Conference Registration Still Available for Exam-Takers
2016 ACS CCP Exam-takers who are staying for the Conference are eligible for a $100 registration discount during this Late registration period, so long as all exam fees have been paid in full. The discount will be applied automatically if/when an exam-taker registers for the Conference online or in-person in Des Moines.
2013 CCPs: This is Your Year to Recertify!
Recertification for 2013 ACS CCPs will be available online beginning at the ACS Conference in Des Moines, and through September 30, 2016. You'll receive more information about the recertification process from ACS in the coming weeks.
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You're App-t to Love This!
Whether you're heading to Des Moines next week, or following along from home, be sure to download the "Cheese in the Heartland" Conference Mobile App! You can keep important Conference information handy on your mobile device, create a customized schedule, take notes and evaluate sessions, download handouts, find maps and floorplans, search directories of attendees and sponsors, schedule meetings, and even message directly with other attendees!
To download the app, text cheese2016 to 99000, or use the links below:
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Enjoy Special Edition ACS Cheese Party Pale Lager
  In a special collaboration, Confluence Brewing Company has created ACS Cheese Party Pale Lager: a refreshing beer brewed with orange peel and coriander, meant to pair nicely with a range of cheese styles. Cheese Party Pale Lager will be available for the enjoyment of cheese industry members (and the general public!) in Des Moines throughout "Cheese in the Heartland."
Pick up a 32 oz. growler to enjoy in Des Moines or to bring home, at Hy-Vee Wine & Spirits, Whole Foods Market locations, The Cheese Shop of Des Moines, and at the brewery -- or enjoy this beer on tap at many Conference events!
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Tiramisu
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| | Photo - American Cheese Society |
You could say I grew up in an Italian family. I, myself, am a Welsh/English/Irish blend, but my best friend growing up was Italian/Swiss and her house was my home away from home. In between our musical rants and raves head-banging to Smashing Pumpkins, rocking out to Weezer, and serenading Nirvana in an attempt to resurrect Kurt Cobain's spirit, we ate cured meats and Italian cheeses; homemade meatballs and fresh pasta; fried potatoes and veal scallopini; and, of course, tiramisu. This recipe is an ode to her and her family. My palate for delicious food (and good music) was, in part, born in her home, and in some ways, will always remain there, in that sacred space of teenage-dom.
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