SHULLSBURG — Just as the City of Shullsburg is working hard to celebrate its 200th anniversary next year, one of its largest and oldest employers is making a drastic change. Prairie Farms Dairy, Inc, owners of the Shullsburg Creamery and White Hill Cheese, made the decision this week to shutter manufacturing operations in the city.
Effective as of Monday, July 20, operations inside the Shullsburg Creamery ceased. White Hill Cheese will continue productions until Aug. 14. The Shullsburg Creamery store and distribution center will remain open.
In a statement to 27 WKOW, Prairie Farms said it made the decision “as part of an ongoing evaluation of its manufacturing network.”
“Following the closure, Prairie Farms anticipates completing the pending sale of the White Hill facility to an interested party. These decisions follow a careful review of Prairie Farms’ manufacturing network and long-term operational needs. Like many manufacturers, Prairie Farms continually evaluates its operations to ensure it is well positioned to serve customers efficiently and support long-term growth. The company is committed to supporting affected employees throughout the transition. There will be no disruptions of supply for Shullsburg Creamery customers.”
In all, nearly 100 people will lose their jobs, though Shullsburg Mayor Dan Morrissey is hopeful that potential new ownership of one of the buildings may bring some jobs back. A town hall was held on Wednesday, July 22 at Townsend Center community building on the issue. The potential buy, Beecher Homemade Cheese, based out of Seattle, could hire several dozen employees back on staff once production returns.
“Hopefully we’ll only be out only half of those 100 or so jobs,” Morrissey added. “It is still unfortunate for the city, especially one of this size.
“I know they have had some trouble over the years, but it’s still impactful. In a small community like this, it really hurts when a huge company closes. It’s a generational business, in that multiple family members work there or have worked there — husbands, wives, cousins, children, grandparents.”
The Shullsburg Creamery was originally opened in 1934 by Danish immigrant Anton “Tony” Pederson. The company quickly gained a reputation for its hand-crafted, old-style recipes and rich, creamy taste born of fresh milk from farm-raised dairy cows.
According to the company’s historical records, in the 1940s, Shullsburg Creamery was selected to provide cheese for American soldiers in World War II and quickly gained a following nationwide as a comforting reminder of home during a trying time. Since then, Shullsburg Creamery has grown into a diverse and innovative company offering award-winning foods, while still retaining the same authentic, farm-fresh recipes and cheesemaking techniques from nearly a century ago.
White Hill Cheese began as a joint venture operation in 2010, producing Swiss cheese and Baby Swiss. Prairie Farms Dairy acquired full ownership of White Hill Cheese and Shullsburg Creamery in 2020. Prairie Farms was established in 1938 and is a farmer-owned dairy cooperative with a network of over 700 farm families.