Bid on Award-Winning Cheeses at CheeseCon 2025 Auction

By Blake Jackson

CheeseCon attendees are invited to the Novonesis Reception & Championship Cheese Auction on April 16 in Madison, Wisconsin, to bid on award-winning cheeses and support the dairy industry's future.

The event, a highlight of CheeseCon, will feature gold medal cheeses from the 2025 United States Championship Cheese Contest.

"Our industry looks forward to the inspiring camaraderie-and fun-of the Championship Cheese Auction every year. We’re thrilled to host this energy-packed opportunity to honor the craftsmanship of dairy manufacturers and secure a strong future for the next generation of industry leaders,” said WCMA Executive Director John Umhoefer. “Get your bidding paddle ready and join us!”

A bid sheet, available at uschampioncheese.org, allows attendees to preview the cheeses and prepare for the friendly competition. Proceeds from the auction will fund dairy scholarships and university innovation.

Following the 2024 auction's success, the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association (WCMA) Board of Directors allocated $200,000 to key initiatives. This includes enhancing student scholarships for dairy processors' and supplier members' families to $5,000 each.

WCMA also established a fund at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls to support the Wuethrich Family/Grassland Dairy Center of Excellence, providing a $90,000 seed donation matched by Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin.

Additionally, WCMA will announce a $100,000 seed gift to the Center for Dairy Research to support research, equipment, and graduate students. This new funding builds on a 30-year tradition of auction support for the dairy industry.

Auction funds have also improved WCMA's Championship Cheese Contests, expanded training programs, supported the Collegiate Dairy Products Evaluation Contest, and contributed to the construction of dairy research facilities at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, UW-River Falls, and South Dakota State University. To date, WCMA has invested $1.75 million in the industry's future through these efforts.

CheeseCon, held from April 15-17, offers attendees access to supplier exhibits, educational seminars, networking opportunities, and celebrations of cheese industry excellence. Advance registration is available until April 7 at CheeseCon.org, with on-site registration available afterward.

Photo Credit: gettyimages-yuriys