Federal grants aimed at helping dairy producers expand or improve production are no longer frozen, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Friday.
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Steve Stettler inspects a freshly cut block of Swiss cheese Tuesday at the U.S. Championship Cheese Contest in Ashwaubenon. Stettler was among the dairy producers in Wisconsin and beyond who had federal grants earmarked for expansion frozen by the Trump administration. Stettler recently completed a $6 million expansion of his Decatur Dairy near Brodhead, but had been approved for a $100,000 grant that would have assisted in the purchase of cheesemaking equipment.
Andy Hatch, seen here in 2016, walks through the cow pasture adjacent to Uplands Cheese north of Dodgeville. Hatch, one of the most decorated cheesemakers in the country, had already spent $50,000 of a $100,000 reimbursable federal grant for improvement projects when the funding was abruptly frozen last week.
Photos: The 2025 U.S. Championship Cheese Contest in Ashwaubenon
Steve Stettler inspects a freshly cut block of Swiss cheese Tuesday. Stettler is among the dairy producers in Wisconsin and beyond who have had federal grants earmarked for expansion frozen by the Trump administration. Stettler recently completed a $6 million expansion of his Decatur Dairy near Brodhead, but had been approved for a $100,000 grant that would have assisted in the purchase of cheesemaking equipment.
Longtime Wisconsin Master Cheesemaker Gary Grossen examines blocks and wheels of Swiss cheese as the U.S. Championship Cheese Contest begins Tuesday in Ashwaubenon.
Wheels of cheese with natural rind are assembled to be judged Tuesday at the U.S. Championship Cheese Contest in Ashwaubenon.
Among the 2,414 entries in the U.S. Championship Cheese Contest is powdered skim milk, a product that Wisconsin dairy producers ship in bulk to Mexico. The powder is used in baking and other food processes but can also be added to water for drinking, which is how Pratishtha Verma, from the Center for Dairy Research at UW-Madison, and Lloyd Metzger from Bruce, South Dakota, judged an entry.
Suresh Sutariya, of Kansas City, Kansas, uses his fingers to feel the texture of a mild cheddar Tuesday at the U.S. Championship Cheese Contest at the Resch Center in Ashwaubenon.
Samples were abundant Tuesday at the U.S. Championship Cheese Contest in Ashwaubenon.
A crowd gathers Tuesday at the Resch Center in Ashwaubenon for a demonstration that explains the judging process.
Jill Allen, left, of Tillamook, Ore., and Laura Laehn, of Plymouth, inspect a wheel of garlic and herb BellaVitano during Tuesday's opening round of the U.S. Championship Cheese Contest in Ashwaubenon. The three-day contest features 2,414 entries from 31 states.
Ben Smith, a judge from Modesto, Calif., samples a handful of shredded mozzarella during Tuesday's opening of the U.S. Championship Cheese Contest.
Cheese at the U.S. Championship Cheese Contest can come in all forms, including in snack-stick, like these Colby Kack entries.
A round of flavored soft goat's milk cheese is readied for judging Tuesday at the U.S. Championship Cheese Contest.
