The history of Wisconsin’s cheesemaking dates back to the early 19th century when European immigrants from Germany, Switzerland, Scandinavia, and more brought their dairy farming traditions to the state. Wisconsin’s fertile land and favorable climate made it ideal for dairy farming.
In 1841, an entrepreneur named Anne Pickett used milk from her neighbor’s cow to start the first known cheese factory in Wisconsin. This was the start of commercial cheesemaking and by the mid-1800s, small family farms all over the state were producing cheese using traditional European methods.
As the cheese industry grew, improvements in transportation and refrigeration technology allowed Wisconsin cheese to start being sold far beyond the state’s borders.
Wisconsin is the proud home to more than 1,200 licensed cheesemakers who continually push the craft forward while honoring the industry’s deep-rooted traditions. With a combination of heritage, craftsmanship, and modern innovation, Wisconsin continues to be synonymous with high-quality cheese in the 21st century.
