The cheesemakers of Associated Milk Producers Inc. (AMPI) are bringing home the coveted Chairman’s Trophy following the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) Championship Cheese Contest.

A panel of 260 judges from 25 countries ranked a U.S. cheese — Rogue Creamery’s Rogue River Blue — the best in the world at the 2019 World Cheese Awards (WCA) in Bergamo, Italy.

Stockinghall by Murray’s Cheese awarded Best of Show.

The awards will be presented on Oct. 18 in Italy.

Last year’s program drew a record-breaking 3,472 cheeses from 41 countries.

The contest will mark its 20th anniversary in 2019.

The cheese is from Cellars at Jasper Hill in Vermont.

The Guild of Fine Food expects to receive a record-breaking 3,500 cheese entries.

NCI Chairman David Ahlem presented the award to Barbano at Dairy Forum 2018.

The Super Jury of 16 judges awarded the cheese 75 points out of a possible 80.