For the first time in U.S. Championship Cheese Contest history, dried milk and whey products will be judged in 2019. The nine new classes for technical evaluation include dry whey, nonfat dry milk and skim milk powder, whole milk powder, whey protein concentrate 34, whey protein concentrate 80, whey protein isolate 90, whey permeate, milk protein concentrate and milk protein isolate.

“Cheese and butter makers across the country have harnessed the marketing power of winning a gold, silver, or bronze medal at our contest, and it’s no surprise that dry dairy ingredient processors want to compete, too,” said Kirsten Strohmenger, events manager for the Madison, Wis.-based Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association (WCMA), the contest’s host organization.

Competitors in the dried milk and whey classes should submit a product sample weighing 1 pound per entry, and are limited to two entries per class, per manufacturing site, WCMA said. Like all other entrants, they will have real-time access to product scores and evaluations through MyEntries, a secure online entry system at USChampionCheese.org.

The deadline to enter the U.S. Championship Cheese Contest is Jan. 31, 2019. The fee for online submissions is $65 per product, a $10 savings from the cost of paper entries, WCMA noted.

“The makers of dried milk ingredients and whey powders operate in an increasingly competitive global marketplace, and we’re pleased to offer them the opportunity for impartial, expert analysis, and for a win that helps them market their highest-quality products,” Strohmenger said.

The U.S. Championship Cheese Contest will be held March 5-7 at the Lambeau Field Atrium in Green Bay, Wis. Competitors with questions may contact Strohmenger via email at kstrohmenger@wischeesemakers.org, or by telephone at 608-286-1001.