The biennial CheeseExpo trade show — hosted by the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association (WCMA) and the Center for Dairy Research (CDR) — will occur virtually this year from April 6-8, 2021, as CheeseExpo Global Online. The event, which was canceled last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, will feature industry innovations, technical and marketing seminars, and crucial connections between suppliers and dairy processors.

CheeseExpo Global Online will offer three days of programming, networking, online exhibits and sponsorships opportunities. Dairy processors will have free access to virtual exhibits, live Ideas Showcase offerings and Spotlight networking events that will bring industry together, the show’s hosts said.

CheeseExpo Global Online will also feature a dozen seminars showcasing the latest in dairy processing technology and food science, insights on opportunities in market sectors and sales abroad, practical guidance for crisis management and workforce development, and more.

“CheeseExpo Global Online is focused on delivering unparalleled expertise to support business growth and increased profitability throughout the dairy processing industry,” says John Umhoefer, executive director for WCMA. “We’re offering concise, valuable topics for everyone — from the artisan cheesemaker to the plant managers, marketers and CEOs.”

Seminar offerings

CheeseExpo Global Online’s concurrent seminars kick off each day at 1:30 p.m. (CDT), with four different offerings daily. Attendees may choose to join some seminars live and access others on demand, according to WCMA and CDR. The sessions on April 6 include:

• “Optimizing Cheese Yield & Mass Balance” – This session will help attendees learn to find the sweet spot between optimal efficiency and optimal quality.

• “Negative PPDs and Positive Change for Federal Milk Marketing Orders” – In this seminar, key thinkers in the order reform discussion will highlight potential changes for controversial milk price formulas.

• “Data Debut: Cheese Usage in Foodservice Channels 2020” – This offering will focus on Technomic’s research on cheese usage in the foodservice channel in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

• “Crisis Preparedness and Crisis Management: National FARM Program Solutions” – This session will not only give attendees the tools needed to prepare for an animal care crisis, but also outline the steps taken by all stakeholders during a crisis.

On Wednesday, April 7, attendees may choose from concurrent seminars about data automation, dairy exports, cave-aged cheeses and sustainability initiatives, including:

• “Practical Application of Process Data in Dairy Plants” – This session will focus on the benefits of data automation, which can link every phase of an operation from raw milk intake and testing through packaging and distribution.

• “Export Market Outlook in a Recovering Global Economy” – In this seminar, the U.S. Dairy Export Council will forecast how a new post-pandemic normal will impact export opportunities and how a new administration in Washington, D.C., will bring a shift in multinational and bilateral trade deals.

• “Artisan Focus: Surface Microflora in Cave-Aged Cheeses & CDR’s New Affinage Capabilities” – Attendees of this session will learn about different rind microflora and their impact on cave-aged cheeses, plus catch a glimpse of CDR’s newest resource: nine specialty cheese caves in the new CDR building.

• “Dairy 2050 Environmental Goals and the Net Zero Initiative for Carbon Emissions” – This offering will be about the dairy industry’s Net Zero initiative and how dairy supply chain partners may engage in collective impact projects. Insights will focus on assessing and advancing economically viable practices and technologies to help move the needle to reduce dairy’s environmental impact.

During the final day of CheeseExpo Global Online, Thursday, April 8, seminars will explore microbial food science, workforce recruitment strategies, online dairy sales and food safety. Sessions include:

• “Microbes that Negatively Impact Cheese Quality and Advances in their Identification” – This seminar will teach attendees about how to identify which culprits are causing gas formers in cheese.

• “Peer Learning: Strategies to Recruit and Motivate Your Workforce” – This seminar will feature a panel of the dairy industry’s human resources leaders, who will discuss solutions to workforce challenges of COVID-19, as well as their best strategies to find and develop great talent and build employee loyalty.

• “Succeeding with Online Dairy Product Sales” – In this session, an expert panel will explore the future for dairy in e-commerce, with an emphasis on three market channels: retail sales, online direct sales and food banks.

• “Whey and Dairy Powder Pathogen Control Best Practices” – In this offering, an industry panel of experts will share food safety best practices and answer questions about controls, tools and approaches to minimize the risks.

Check out CheeseExpoGO.org for a look at all the event offers.