National & World Ag News Headlines Another Great Year for Specialty Cheese Production in Wisconsin USAgNet - 05/11/2012 Wisconsin not only remained the number one state in the nation for cheese production in 2011, but it also churned out more specialty cheeses than ever before. The state's agriculture department announced this week that local cheesemakers produced 25 percent of the nation's total production of 586 million pounds; and that specialty cheese accounted for 22 percent of that total. That's an increase of three percent over 2010. Of Wisconsin's 126 cheese plants, 90 manufactured at least one type of specialty cheese in 2011. Feta accounted for the largest share of specialty cheese output, with 13 percent of the total. Blue, Hispanic types, specialty Mozzarella varieties, Parmesan Wheel, and specialty Provolone continue to remain other popular categories. The largest increases in specialty production were Gouda, up 24 percent, and Asiago, up 20 percent. According to the Wisconsin Specialty Cheese Institute, the nature of specialty cheese is derived from one or more unique qualities, such as exotic origin, particular processing or design, limited supply, unusual application or use, and extraordinary packaging or channel of sale. The common denominator is its very high quality, the Institute says. Send this article to a friend Other National Headlines Senators Consider Cuts in Crop Insurance Mexico: U.S. Not Respecting WTO Ruling on Meat Labeling China's Pork Price Rebounds After Government Boost African Poultry Group Denies Tariff Would Cause Inflation Report Finds Farming is Still Very Dangerous Occupation Dairy Outlook Report: Class III Price Should Remain $18+ All Year Farmers Make Good Progress on Spring Wheat Planting Copyright © 2013 - USAgNet.com. All Rights Reserved.