WCMA Auction Raises Record Funds to Support Dairy Industry’s Future; John Umhoefe Comments

An energetic crowd of dairy processors, marketers, and suppliers raised an impressive $354,445 at the 2025 Novonesis Reception and Championship Cheese Auction held on April 16 at CheeseCon in Madison, Wisconsin. The funds support industry training programs offered by the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association (WCMA), as well as dairy scholarships and university innovation.

“It’s a thrill to witness the generosity of the dairy processing industry at the Auction each year,” said WCMA Executive Director John Umhoefer in a recent press release. “We're immensely grateful to all those who raised their paddles to contribute to the programs and educational opportunities that help grow and strengthen our industry."

Following a successful Auction in 2024, the WCMA Board of Directors has guided $200,000 from generous bidders to three exciting programs focused on the future:

• In December, WCMA’s five student scholarships for dairy processors’ and supplier members’ families were enhanced to $5,000 per student.
• In February, WCMA announced the formation of a new fund at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls to support dairy operations, training staff, and research at the new dairy pilot plant — the Wuethrich Family/Grassland Dairy Center of Excellence – and provided a seed donation of $90,000 (matched by a $90,000 investment by Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin).
• In March, WCMA announced a $100,000 seed gift dedicated to the Center for Dairy Research – the start of a new fund supporting research, equipment, graduate students, and other Center goals.

This new giving joins a three-decade tradition of Champion Cheese Auction support for the future of the dairy industry. Auction funds also fuel improvements in WCMA's Championship Cheese Contests; growth of WCMA’s popular training programs for dairy manufacturers and suppliers; support for the Collegiate Dairy Products Evaluation Contest; and the original donations that sparked construction of the world-class Center for Dairy Research facility in Madison, the Wuethrich Family/Grassland Dairy Center for Excellence at UW-River Falls and the South Dakota State University dairy pilot plant. Altogether, WCMA has invested $1.75 million in the industry’s future, thanks to Auction donations.

This year’s Auction featured a total of 95 gold medal cheeses, butters, and yogurts from the 2025 U.S. Championship Cheese Contest, organized into 42 lots. WCMA sincerely thanks all of the winning bidders for their generous support: ALPMA USA; APT - Advanced Process Technologies, Inc.; Dahmes Stainless Inc.; Mohawk Technology, LLC; Nelson-Jameson; Masters Gallery Foods; D.R. Tech Inc.; Actus Nutrition; dsm-firmenich; Kelley Supply, Inc.; ProActive Solutions USA; Complete Filtration Resources; Great Lakes Cheese; Darlington Dairy Supply; Loos Machine & Automation; Custom Fabricating & Repair; General Films, Inc.; Dairy Connection; Harry Davis & Company; Novonesis; A-Z Process Solutions; Sugar River Cold Storage; T.C. Jacoby; Hydrite; Ivarson Inc.; and FSNS.