What are we about?

NCCIA is committed to the growth and long term success of the cheesemaking profession in the Upper Midwest.

A pillar of NCCIA’s mission is education.  NCCIA supports education projects ranging from high school visits to advanced industry professional training to help ensure the Midwest cheese industry’s continued success.

Our annual conferences brings together member students, educators and industry professionals for an educational (and entertaining!) knowledge exchange and discussion of  current cheese  industry evolution.  See photos from our 2010 annual conference in Brookings, South Dakota.

This site is dedicated to your cheese education – join us today for the education of a lifetime!

Upcoming Events

2011 Annual Conference
October 12-13
DoubleTree Hotel, Rochester, MN

Topics of Discussion
Theme is dairy economics, energy, milk loss and CIP tracking, cheese and whey.  (Note:  Our board members are still in the preliminary stages of planning so speakers and topics have not been finalized.)

Special Events
Pre-Conference Workshop
Economics of dairy:  basics of calls and puts, futures pricing, futures contracts, and derivatives.  Presented by Dr. Marin Bozic, Dairy Economist, University of Minnesota.  Note: discussion points are subject to change.
October 12, 9:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Cheese Grading Workshop (Sponsored by Tetra Pak CPS)
Test your aptitude in sensory evaluation of cheese and compete for the traveling trophy and other great prizes.  Prizes are awarded to the highest scoring individuals during the banquet dinner.
October 12, 2:50 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Cheese Auction and Social Hour (Sponsored by cheese plants and NCCIA supplier members)
Enjoy a beverages, network with friends, and bid on award-winning cheeses from the 2011 NCCIA Cheese Making Contest.
October 12, 5:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

Banquet Dinner
October 12, 6:30 p.m.- 8:30 p.m.

Hospitality Suite (Sponsored by NCCIA supplier members)
A meet-and-greet-event that is open to all conference attendees.
October 12, 9:00 p.m.