MONROE - Governor Scott Walker visited a Monroe cheese factory Monday morning to celebrate Wisconsin Cheese Day.
Walker toured Klondike Cheese Monday in recognition of Klondike's growth and contribution to Wisconsin's booming dairy industry, which generates $43.4 billion annually, Walker said.
"Klondike is one of our cheesemakers that is expanding, which is good for all of us who love cheese, but it's also good for our state," Walker said.
Walker gave Klondike president Ron Buholzer a certificate acknowledging Klondike's commitment to the art of cheesemaking.
Buholzer said an upcoming expansion to Klondike will be completed next year and will allow the factory to produce more than 100,000 pounds of cheese daily.
Walker's visit to Klondike was one part of the state's celebration of Wisconsin Cheese Day. Other state officials visited five other cheesemaking facilities throughout the state: Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection Ben Brancel visited Great Lakes Cheese in La Crosse; Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation secretary Mark R. Hogan visited Master Gallery Foods in Plymouth.
Other officials visited Rosewood Dairy in Algoma, the Westby Cooperative Creamery in Westby and Biery Cheese Company in Plover.
Roughly two dozen people attended the event, including State representatives Todd Novak and Howard Marklein, UW-Extension chancellor Cathy Sandeen, Green County Development Corporation executive director Cara Carper and representatives from the Wisconsin Cheesemakers Association and the Wisconsin Center for Dairy Research. Several Klondike employees were also present in the audience.
Walker said the dairy industry was more important to Wisconsin than the orange industry is to Florida or the potato industry is to Idaho. One quarter of all cheese produced in the U.S. is produced in Wisconsin.
"Our cheese makers are in demand across the country," Walker said.
Buholzer said he was honored by Walker's recognition and was excited for the future of Wisconsin cheesemaking.
"The road to success has been a rocky one, but it's also had some great times for all of use," Buholzer said.
Walker toured Klondike Cheese Monday in recognition of Klondike's growth and contribution to Wisconsin's booming dairy industry, which generates $43.4 billion annually, Walker said.
"Klondike is one of our cheesemakers that is expanding, which is good for all of us who love cheese, but it's also good for our state," Walker said.
Walker gave Klondike president Ron Buholzer a certificate acknowledging Klondike's commitment to the art of cheesemaking.
Buholzer said an upcoming expansion to Klondike will be completed next year and will allow the factory to produce more than 100,000 pounds of cheese daily.
Walker's visit to Klondike was one part of the state's celebration of Wisconsin Cheese Day. Other state officials visited five other cheesemaking facilities throughout the state: Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection Ben Brancel visited Great Lakes Cheese in La Crosse; Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation secretary Mark R. Hogan visited Master Gallery Foods in Plymouth.
Other officials visited Rosewood Dairy in Algoma, the Westby Cooperative Creamery in Westby and Biery Cheese Company in Plover.
Roughly two dozen people attended the event, including State representatives Todd Novak and Howard Marklein, UW-Extension chancellor Cathy Sandeen, Green County Development Corporation executive director Cara Carper and representatives from the Wisconsin Cheesemakers Association and the Wisconsin Center for Dairy Research. Several Klondike employees were also present in the audience.
Walker said the dairy industry was more important to Wisconsin than the orange industry is to Florida or the potato industry is to Idaho. One quarter of all cheese produced in the U.S. is produced in Wisconsin.
"Our cheese makers are in demand across the country," Walker said.
Buholzer said he was honored by Walker's recognition and was excited for the future of Wisconsin cheesemaking.
"The road to success has been a rocky one, but it's also had some great times for all of use," Buholzer said.