The Wisconsin Dairy Products Association (WDPA) announced the judges it secured for the 2021 World Dairy Expo Championship Dairy Product Contest. The 48 judges — the leading technical and sensory experts in their fields — will be under the guidance of head judge, Robert Bradley, Ph.D. Bradley will be assisted by three assistant head judges: Greg Kinate (cheese and butter), Doug Allen (Grade A) and Scott Rankin (ice cream), Middleton, Wis.-based WDPA said.

The judges selected for the 2021 contest are:

Cheese

  • Ian Bodkin, Vivolac Cultures
  • Steve Funk, Nelson Jameson
  • Gary Gosda, Lake Country Dairy
  • Jeff Jirik, Prairie Farms Dairy
  • Kyle Koll, Sargento Foods
  • Michelle Malone, Schreiber Foods
  • Aaron Miller, Vivolac Cultures
  • Tammy Miller, Colony Brand
  • Adam Porath, Winona Foods
  • Bill Rufenacht, Dairy Connection
  • Shawn Sadler, AMPI
  • Steve Schenkoske, TOSCA
  • Eric Vorpahl, Masters Gallery Foods
  • Matt Zimbric, Foremost Farms USA

Butter

  • Kory Hyvonen, Oshkosh Cheese
  • Noreen Ratzlaff

Fluid

  • Trevor Bone, Tate & Lyle
  • Tori Boomgaarden, Kemps
  • Tom Gruetzmacher, Bay Valley Foods
  • Tim Harried, Denali Ingredients
  • Hoss Langhoff
  • Charlie Mack, Prairie Farms Dairy
  • George Strayer
  • Chuck Yarris, QCS Purchasing
  • Kevin Young, Dean Foods
  • Jane Zeien, Denali Ingredients

Cottage Cheese

  • Barry Spors, Organic Valley
  • Herb Wyckoff, Crest Foods

Ice Cream

  • Trevor Bone, Tate & Lyle
  • Connie Kellogg, CK Development
  • Tom Kelman, Kelman Consulting
  • Rob Lagerlof, Prairie Farms Dairy
  • Greg Nielsen, Dairy Ingredients
  • Barry Spors, Organic Valley
  • Daryl Spors, Organic Valley
  • Eric Thomsen, The Chocolate Shoppe
  • Chuck Yarris, QCS Purchasing
  • Jane Zeien, Denali Ingredients

Sour Cream

  • Ian Bodkin, Vivolac
  • Mike Cigich, Chr. Hansen

Sour Cream Dips

  • Dave Buteyn, Vivolac Cultures
  • Doug Vargo, IFF

Whey

  • Susan Larson, CDR
  • Jenny Reuter, Foremost Farms

Yogurt

  • Rob Lagerlof, Prairie Farms Dairy
  • Michelle Malone, Schreiber Foods
  • Gary Pieper, Chr. Hansen
  • Dave Potter, Dairy Connection

Contest judging will take place at the Madison College Culinary Arts Department on Aug. 17-19, 2021, WDPA said. Cheese and butter products will be judged on August 17; Grade A entries on August 18; and ice cream and whey products on August 19.

For more information about the World Dairy Expo Championship Dairy Product Contest, visit www.wdpa.net, or contact WDPA at info@wdpa.net or 608-836-3336.