Wisconsin cheesemakers sent 30,000 pounds of Wisconsin cheese to Florida for those affected by Hurricane Irma. The statewide effort was coordinated by Wisconsin cheesemakers, the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board (WMMB), the Independent Procurement Alliance Program (IPAP) and Wisconsin dairy farmers, Madison, Wis.-based WMMB said.

"It is an honor to deliver the generous donation from Wisconsin cheesemakers to those who need it in Florida," said Scott Eithun, president of IPAP. "We saw an outpouring of support and gratitude from Texans when Wisconsin sent a cheese donation after Hurricane Harvey. We were devastated by the news Floridians were in the same situation shortly afterwards, so Wisconsinites came together again in an even bigger way."

On Oct. 18, Feeding South Florida received 30,000 pounds of Wisconsin Cheese to provide families with nutritious food, WMMB said. The 32 pallets arrived at Feeding South Florida, which distributes to a network of 400 partner agencies throughout the community, to get the food into the hands of those who need it most.

"Feeding South Florida appreciates this donation, especially after Hurricane Irma, when many lost their perishable items, and as we near the holiday season," said Sari Vatske, vice president of community relations at Feeding South Florida.

IPAP, based in Appleton, Wis., handled the shipping and logistics support. Midwest Refrigerated Services provided help with consolidation and trucking. Performance Foodservice Miami assisted in providing the product to Feeding South Florida. Without the contribution of their time and resources, this large donation would not have been possible, WMMB said.

Seventeen cheese companies from across Wisconsin were involved in the relief effort. Participating companies include Arthur Schuman Inc., Artisan Cheese Exchange, Baker Cheese Inc., Cedar Valley Cheese, Dan's Prize Inc., Door Artisan Cheese Company LLC, Eau Galle Cheese Co., Foremost Farms USA Cooperative, Maple Leaf Cheese Co-op, Masters Gallery Foods Inc., Odyssey Cheese & Yogurt, Pine River Pre-Pack Inc., Saxon Cheese, Swiss Valley Farms Co-op, Valley View Cheese Co-op, Widmer's Cheese Cellars and Winona Foods Inc. Additional support was provided by the Wisconsin Cheesemaker Association, WMMB noted.