WEST ALLIS — Dairy manufacturers, supporters and enthusiasts gathered at the Saz’s Hospitality Pavilion at Wisconsin State Fair Park on Thursday evening, August 8 for the Blue Ribbon Dairy Products Auction and the announcement of the 2024 Wisconsin State Fair Grand Master Cheesemaker. Team Lake Country Dairy won the coveted title with a winning entry of Maple Flavored Mascarpone. The entry scored 99.670 in the flavored soft cheese class. 

In addition to announcing the Grand Master Cheesemaker, the grand champion dairy products were also announced at the event.

●  Grand Champion Butter: Nordic Creamery unsalted butter, made by Nordic Creamery of Westby.

●  Grand Champion Sour Cream: Odyssey Reduced Fat Mediterranean Feta Dip, made by Klondike Cheese Co of Monroe.

●  Grand Champion Yogurt: Odyssey Labneh, made by Klondike Cheese Co of Monroe.

●  Grand Champion Milk: 2% Fluid White Milk made by Lamers Dairy of Appleton.

●  Grand Champion Custard: Bananarama made by Dairyland Old Fashioned Hamburgers of Milwaukee. 

Each blue ribbon entry from the dairy products contest sold during the auction, which raised a record $65,080 for student scholarships and dairy promotion at the state fair. 

Leading off the auction was four pounds of Lake Country Dairy Schuman Cheese Maple Flavored Mascarpone, which sold for $2,800 to DR Tech.

Local Cheese results:

●  LOT 1, 10 LBS. CLASS 4- SWISS STYLE - Prairie Farms Baby Swiss Wheel; Made by Sam Morhardt; Prairie Farms, Shullsburg; Buyer: Novonesis; Price/lb: $100; Total Price: $1,000

●  LOT 8, 40 LBS. CLASS 5 - BRICK, MUENSTER - Brick Cheese; Made by Decatur Cheesemakers; CLASS 20 - HAVARTI - Havarti; CLASS 21 - FLAVORED HAVARTI - Dill Havarti; Made by Steve Stettler; Decatur Dairy, Brodhead; Buyer: AceChem; Price/lb: $175; Total Price: $7,000

●  LOT 14, 13 LBS.; CLASS 18 - REDUCED FAT OR LITE CHEESE - Odyssey Reduced Fat Feta; Made by Steve Webster; CLASS 37 - FLAVORED HIGH PROTEIN YOGURT - Odyssey Peach Greek Yogurt; GRAND CHAMPION YOGURT: CLASS 38 - UNFLAVORED HIGH PROTEIN YOGURT - Odyssey Labneh; CLASS 39 - FLAVORED YOGURT - Odyssey Whole Vanilla Yogurt; CLASS 40 - OPEN CLASS UNFLAVORED YOGURT - Odyssey Whole Fat Yogurt; GRAND CHAMPION SOUR CREAM: CLASS 45 - LOW FAT SOUR CREAM- Odyssey Reduced Fat Greek Mediterranean Dip; All made by Klondike Cheese Co, Monroe; Buyer: Airlite Plastics; Price/lb: $450; Total Price: $5,850

●  LOT 17, 10 LBS.; CLASS 43 - FLAVORED SOUR CREAM - Chipotle Sour Cream; CLASS 44 - UNFLAVORED SOUR CREAM - Sour Cream; Made by Mexican Cheese Producers, Darlington; Buyer: Dairyland Packaging; Price/lb: $25; Total Price: $250