Cheesemaker Education Day - Oregon Cheese Guild

What: Cheesemaker Education Day is the west coast’s premier educational conference for the artisan cheese industry.

When: Saturday, January 25, 2025 from 8am to 6pm.

Where: Oregon State University, LaSells Stewart Center, 875 SW 26th St, Corvallis, OR 97331.

Who: Creamery owners, employees, and cheesemakers from Oregon, the NW, California, further afield; people interested in starting a creamery business, others related to the artisan cheese industry, and students. In addition to the seminars, there will be a small trade show for cheese industry vendors.

Tickets: $40 for cheesemakers and owners/employees of cheesemaking businesses; $20 for students; $95 all others. Ticket includes all seminars, light breakfast, lunch, and cheese reception.

Hands-On Workshop: Friday, January 24, Understanding and Solving Cheese Defects with Andrew Johnson from Dairy Connection. Tickets are $50 and include lunch.

Hotel: With our usual hotel under construction, we have a room block at the Courtyard by Marriott Corvallis January 23 – 26, 2025; Group Code: OCG. Group Rate: $199 for standard room. Last day to reserve a room – January 9th. Group link: Book your group rate for Oregon Cheese Guild

Some of the exciting sessions happening at Cheesemaker Education Day 2025:

Saturday at LaSells Stewart (*exact times subject to change)

Doors Open

8:00 am

Light Breakfast Served

Welcome

8:30 am

Traceability Rule and Regulatory Update

8:35 am – 9:30 am

presented by Karel Smit of ODA and Joy Waite-Cusic OSU

Updates on the rule and how small cheesemakers are planning to manage it. Like what software is everyone going to use?

OSU Grad Student Quick Fire

9:30 am – 10:30 am

presented by Melanie Hanlon of OSU

Quick updates on the exciting research projects related to cheesemaking that OSU’s talented grad students have in progress.

Break

10:30 am – 10:35 am

Creating a Unique Cheese – Cultures and Coagulants

10:45 am – 12:15 pm

presented by Andrew Johnson

Join us for a discussion on creating unique flavors and textures in your cheese through gaining a better understanding of cultures, coagulants, and surface ripening organisms. These ingredients are essential to cheesemaking and selecting the correct ones can make all the difference in helping make your cheese unique. In this lecture, we will take a deep dive into starter cultures and adjuncts; animal, microbial and fermented produced coagulants; and the yeasts, molds, and bacteria that all help create unique flavors, textures, and appearances in our cheeses.

Lunch

12:15 pm – 12:45 pm

OSU Pilot Plant Update and Introduction

12:45 pm – 1:05 pm

presented by Brandon Riesgaard

Pacific Coast Coalition/ Dairy Business Innovation Initiative Update

1:05 pm – 1:30 pm

presented by Melanie Hanlon of OSU

A brief report on the impacts this grant program has had, and how to access PCC internship and technical assistance funds through 2026.

The Squeeze on Cheese

1:30 pm – 3:00 pm

presented by Felice Thorpe

Cheesemakers are increasingly under pressure between the rising costs of inputs like milk and labor and downward price pressure from retailers and consumers. What strategies are cheesemakers employing successfully to combat the squeeze?

Break

3:00 pm – 3:15 pm

Employee Handbooks and Compliance for Small Producers

3:15 pm – 4:00 pm

presented by Ally McLain of Davis Wright Tremaine

Hear from an employment law expert about necessary and important employee handbook provisions for (small) employers, including why they matter and frequently asked questions. Basic compliance questions will also be covered surrounding new developments in employment law such as Oregon Paid Family Medical Leave and pregnancy accommodation law.

Cheese Paper

4:00 pm – 4:30 pm

presented by Maureen Cunnie of Fromagex

Cheesemakers are challenged to improve shelf life and maintain cheese quality. The precise cheese paper selection helps to achieve this goal. This session we will differentiate between ripening and wrapping papers, identify inputs & cost benefits, printing techniques, permeability and recommendations for different styles of cheese.

Cheese Reception

4:30 pm – 6 pm

Friday 9-4 in Memorial Union 211

Understanding and Solving Cheese Defects (Workshop)

Presented by Andrew Johnson of Dairy Connection

Chances are you have experienced defects in your cheese. Whether its unwanted gas formation, mold or off flavors, all of these can be detrimental to your bottom line. Join us for this workshop where we will provide information about the most common defects and how to troubleshoot them. We will also explore the basics of sensory evaluation and how to evaluate a cheese. We will conduct sensory sessions by calibrating our palates to the five basic tastes and evaluate cheeses samples for defects. Participants are encouraged to bring in their own cheeses for evaluation.

Trade Show/Sponsorship Information:

Cheesemaker Education Day Sponsorship – $850

8’ table in conference center lobby
2 tickets to Cheesemaker Education Day seminars, lunch, and reception
Logo on CED website
Ad and listing in CED program
Mentions in event promotion emails
Access to attendee list
Support the Oregon Cheese Guild and its members

Display Table – $500

8’ table
1 ticket to Cheesemaker Education Day seminars, lunch, and reception
Listing in CED program