American Cheese Society

The cheesemakers behind Jasper Hill Farm in Greensboro, Vermont, and Fromagerie La Station in Compton, Quebec, gathered for a party in September.

As Lucy reports, the owners of La Station traveled over the border to deliver the prize that they had won in 2024 and 2025, the American Cheese Society's highest honor, its Best of Show trophy.

It was Jasper Hill Farm that won the competition this year.

They don't see each other as, you know, enemies or competitors.

So I began studying for my CCP.

It's a certified cheese professional, a certification given by the American Cheese Society.

And it's a big test that you have to take where you basically prove you have a well-rounded understanding of every aspect of the cheese industry.

And so last year I took the test and I became a certified cheese professional as well.

You know, I think that Wisconsin came to these national events and showed people what collaboration can accomplish.

The American Cheese Society is a national organization that's primarily artisanal and farmstead cheesemakers.

I'd talk to the woman who was the administrator of it, and she would say, everybody from other industries comes to us and wants to know what we do and how we make everybody get along so well.

And it really feels good to be part of that.

It's amazing.

And she was noted in the Good Food Foundation's Cheese Awards multiple times and won the American Cheese Society's first place cheese for her Rosa Maria in 2014, 2018, and 2024.

My life certainly wouldn't be complete without Rosa Maria.

Rosa.

It's amazing.

And last year in 2025, her Dolamina Gouda style also won first place for the American Cheese Society.

So many snaps for Sharuth.

Sharuth and Kevin were two of the earliest direct marketers in Nebraska, and they have paved the way for many, many young farmers.

Tell me about the Amish comment, because I found that part of the research completely captivating.

One of the most fascinating comments highlighted in the sources came from the American Cheese Society regarding the Amish community.

The plain sect cheesemakers.

How does a digital mandate handle an analog culture?

You'll find them at Michelin-starred restaurants, at your local cheese monger, at the cut-to-order cheese counter at I think Whole Foods and, and other big, um, you know, high-end organic whatever grocery chains.

Um, not just that, but Jasper Hill Farm recently took back the Best of Show prize awarded by the American Cheese Society for its Winnimere cheese, which was described as rich, bark-wrapped, and spoonably soft.

So just to get your mouths watering as we start into this conversation.

We are here to talk about cheese, yes.

Oh, this is good." [laughs] Um, so we, we made that cheese.

And without thinking, we entered it in the American Cheese Society.

So it's an international-

Okay

Um, but oh my gosh, like, I think one of the signs of in life is you just feel good about who you're working with if you're on the right path, and we feel that every day.

Every time we get off the phone with the folks at Gossner, it's like, "These guys know what they're doing.

They care." Um, and we just were informed, um, this would've been last week at this year's American Cheese Society Conference, we ended up taking home five medals-

Oh, wow