The Fight for Our Cheese Right

 When you hear the word "Colby", what's the first thing that pops into your mind?  As a small-town girl who's traveled all over the country, I've come to make this question a staple for any new person that I meet.  And why?  Because the answer is always the same... "CHEESE."  

After living in Minnesota for the past year of college, I have become known as the "crazy cheese Wisconsinite" who judges a state by their cheese, and honestly, can you blame me?  If you've ever been to Wisconsin and tried any of our 600 varieties of cheese produced in the state, then you'll know we take our cheese very seriously.  And with every right to.

As the only state that requires a license to produce cheese, Wisconsin holds this badge of honor close to our hearts.  Not to mention, our Master Cheesemaker Program is one of two in the entire world, THE ENTIRE WORLD PEOPLE.  And this program is literally in our backyard.  Need more proof of Wisconsin's pride in its cheese?  Every Master Cheesemaker in the United States is proud to call Wisconsin their home.  That's a lot of mastery, all from the Cheese State I am happy to call home.

So if you don't know me, let me enlighten you about my cheese obsession.  I grew up just outside of the small town of Colby, right in the heart of America's Dairyland.  And a short half mile bike ride to the south, lied the ever historic, Colby Cheese Factory.  Growing up, I remember exploring through the remains of the building, wondering what it was like in its prime years.  This began the spark of my now, obsession, with cheese.

From cheese tasting at the local 4-H meetings to secretly adding cheese curds on the griddle at dairy breakfasts to making cheese in my animal science class, cheese became a huge part of my life.  Give me a slice of Colby Cheese and a slice of Cheddar, and I could tell you which is which simply on texture.  Living in my Cheese Town my whole life gave me an appreciation for cheese you just can't find anywhere else. 

It wasn't until I went to college, that I truly understood the importance of good cheese.  Ensuring I would stop at Nasonville Dairy for fresh Colby cheese curds, Marieke Gouda for gouda and Ellsworth Creamery for cheddar were all guaranteed stops as I went back to school.  

But let's focus on the main reason for even writing this, Colby Cheese.  As Wisconsin is in fact, the cheese state, it is disappointing to note that we still do not have a state cheese.  And yet, we've been making cheese in this area since the 1830s.  That's before Wisconsin even became a state!  

So where is our pride for our cheese, Wisconsin?  We boast about being the biggest producer of cheese in the country, 4th in the world, and we can't say that we have a specific cheese as Wisconsin's State Cheese.  This bill has been going on for a while now and enough is enough. 

Wisconsin Cheesemakers Association, why can't you commit?

To say you don't want Colby Cheese to be the state cheese because it will create a marketing advantage for Colby Cheese is like saying you want to get a C (when you could get an A) in a class so your friends won't know you're actually good at Calculus.  That is literally how ridiculous you sound.  

When in life were you told to make yourself dumber to conform to your friends' opinions?  Never!  And yet, we see this every day where people of all ages are conforming to society's idea of perfection to not "hurt" anyone's feelings or never show our own perspectives.  It is because of thoughts like this from people we want to look up to, that today's society crumbles under pressure.  If we cannot learn to stand up for something we care about (making Colby Cheese the state cheese), then what's the point?

To validate your argument would contradict other state symbols that are already in place.

For example,

• Are we going to argue now that milk cannot be a state beverage because it will take away sales from non-dairy alternatives?
• Are we going to complain that Polka being the official Wisconsin dance will result in no other dances being done?
• Does having the dairy cow as the official state domestic animal prevent people from raising beef cattle instead?
• Will having the American Water Spaniel as the state dog breed result in no one wanting any other breed of dog?
• Does having cranberries as our state fruit mean strawberry farmers will not be able to make it?
• Are we really going to say that having the Sugar Maple as our state tree means Pines and Birch will never be planted again?

Wisconsin Cheesemakers, these are the same as your argument.  Having a state cheese will do no more to the market than what these state symbols does for them.  Colby Cheese should be the state cheese for the same reasons these things listed above are already state symbols... because they represent the state.

And just so we're clear, I'm not fighting for Colby Cheese because I think it is the best cheese ever invented, because honestly, it's not my favorite.  I will always eat fresh Colby Cheese curds but I would be lying if I didn't tell you my favorite cheese is actually Muenster, followed by Gouda and Swiss.  No, for anyone confused, Colby Cheese should be the state cheese because of the history behind it.

To live less than a mile from the original cheese factory, to listen to that sweet squeak of a fresh Colby Cheese curd, to know that such a powerful symbol started in the small town of Colby, Wisconsin is an accomplishment all Wisconsinites should be proud to celebrate.  For me, Colby Cheese is more than just another product on the shelf.  No, when I see Colby Cheese in the store, I smile because I know it all started in the little town I call home.

When I said in the beginning that I ask strangers what "Colby" means to them, it isn't just a question.  It is a conversation starter which leads to a deeper knowledge that I want to share with the world.  Any accomplishment in life is worth celebrating and to see the way the Colby community has come together time and time again to support the things we care about, that is the real reward.  

Any true Wisconsinite will tell you, cheese is more than something we find on our Culver's Butterburger or sprinkle on literally everything, cheese is a way of life here in Wisconsin.  To deny the Dairy State, America's Dairyland, and the Cheeseheads, a symbol of the very reason we were given all these names, is a disappointment for this Wisco girl.  

Why deprive Colby Cheese of the rightful name it deserves?  What about all the good things that could come out of this?  Imagine the publicity for cheese, Wisconsin, and the agriculture economy.  Are we really willing to sacrifice a good deed for such a critical industry because a Cheesemaker thinks its a bad idea?  The community of Colby alone in favor of this act would outnumber those against this bill, and we're a really small town.

The fight for our cheese right has gone on long enough.  We are not asking for a world title (we already have that).  We, the people of Colby and many other Wisconsinites, want the recognition Colby Cheese deserves because the history needs to be preserved.  And what better way to preserve it than have it written down in legislative law?

Colby- The Official Cheese for the State of Wisconsin 

I wrote it down.  Now all we need is YOU.  Let's make this official together.  Who wants to be present at an event that will go down in history?  Who wants to make a difference in every true Wisconsinite's life.  Vote "yes" for Colby Cheese, because the history speaks for itself.

Wisconsin Lawmakers, we need your help.  Let's come together as the community we are and give a little recognition to our glorious state we are so lucky to call home.  Because who better to have the first state cheese, than the state who created its own cheese?

Mark your calendars, our hearing is July 7th, 2021.  

In Wisconsin,

    I believe in the future of agriculture.

    I believe in the necessity of community.

    I believe in representation.

    I believe in state symbols.

    I believe in small town pride.

Because no matter what the decision, I believe in Colby Cheese.

30x30... A Recommendation to a New Reality

After seeing and reading multiple articles about the 30x30 which was put into place shortly after the Biden-Harris Administration was put into office, I decided I needed to do a little digging myself, because as an advocate of agriculture and seeing the concerns this plan was putting into agriculturalists' perspectives, I too was curious then of what exactly the goal and plan of the 30x30 is.

If you haven't heard of this campaign then let me enlighten you a bit.  Technically called "Conserving and Restoring America the Beautiful", this is a preliminary report to the National Climate Task Force which recommends a ten-year, locally-led campaign to conserve and restore the lands and waters in the United States.  As many people are calling this campaign the 30x30, this is due to the goal to conserve at least 30% of our lands and waters by 2030.

While reading through this campaign, it was interesting to note how many times the words recommendation, locally-led, and voluntarily were used in this campaign.  

• For the amount of so-called "recommendations" this campaign had discussed, nothing was really put into words on what exactly was going to be done to help conserve our lands and waters.  You can read a lot on the "why" we should conserve and work to help this campaign succeed but if you don't understand that many wildlife are endangered, many habitats are being lost, and many environments are dying all due to pollution, then you clearly live under a rock.  Pollution and lack of care by Americans is what has led this country to the state we are in today so by stating multiple times that "we recommend that we conserve our lands and waters" may sound good to the average American, you really aren't saying much of anything.
• The reason there were so many "recommendations" was because the goal of this campaign is the leaders want it "locally-led."  Every need to conserve stated in the campaign, was followed by the want for locally-led programs.  Now in some communities, who already use conservation practices, this locally-led idea will work out perfectly.  However, for communities who do not practice any type of conservation as it is, what makes these leaders think they will sporadically start that now?  
• Based on the little research I've done on this topic, the biggest concern many farmers have with this campaign is the idea of "voluntarily" supporting this campaign.  As it was addressed many times in the campaign, the leaders want farmers, ranchers, forest owners, and others to get involved through voluntarily actions.  Many, however, are concerned that these efforts may turn forceful as to achieve their desired percentages by 2030.  Other articles I read concerning this campaign quoted farmers speaking about their concerns of how those who don't want to participate could be forced or incentivized into participating, which for many seemed unethical.
  

While reading the introduction of the campaign, some keys notes stuck out to me.  When addressing the three main problems they hope to resolve, it was interesting to note "roughly half of the riparian ecosystems and wetlands in the lower 48 states have already been lost, while more than 17,000 square miles of ranchland and farmland were lost to development or fragmented in the last two decades."  This statement clearly addresses the fact that the loss of conservative land is too often due to development.  The sad part is developed land equivalates to around only 3 percent of the land in the United States.

So let's break this down.  If only 3 percent of U.S. land is developed, what is the rest used for?  Around 40 percent of U.S. land is used for agriculture purposes including farmland, grazing and pastures, and crops although this number has decreased drastically over the past few decades.  Currently around 12 percent of U.S. land is protected, which consists of forests and national parks.  The remaining around 45 percent of U.S. land is undeveloped.  Based off of these numbers, one would think it shouldn't be too difficult to get that 12 percent of protected land up to 30 in one decade, but it really depends on where that additional land is getting pulled from.

President Biden is quoted with saying "America's farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners have an important role to play in combating the climate crisis and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by sequestering carbon in soils, grasses, trees, and other vegetation and sourcing sustainable bioproducts and fuels."  Here's my issues with this statement:

• Why do only farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners have a role with climate crisis and reducing greenhouse gasses?  
• Are we honestly blaming the agriculturalists for all these issues when this industry isn't the number one for the cause of pollution, climate crisis, and greenhouse gasses?
• Can we talk about all the farmland that's been lost in the past few decades due to being developed for urban use?

Another issue to point out in the introduction is where they stated, "in too many neighborhoods and communities across America, families are finding too few close-to-home opportunities to safely enjoy the outdoors."  The sad part being, this was never looked at as an issue until the entire American population was forced to stay inside.  Americans never had a problem with staying indoors when they were never told they couldn't go outside.  But as soon as the pandemic started, suddenly many cities and less priviledged and/or undeveloped communities are complaining or finally want to address the issues of not having any parks, open areas, and safe places to go outside.

As someone who comes from a rural background, always having a place to go outside was never an issue.  A park, a field, a neighbor's house, or a background offers easy access in rural communities to get the needed fresh air even before the pandemic started.  Even after living in a very suburban area for a year, I still found many parks and trails to use to my advantage.  I will agree that yes, there is a lack of outdoor recreational areas in certain places, but more times than not, people aren't even taking advantage of these places.  Give this five years, and I guarantee the campgrounds will never be packed like they were last year and this year.  

This campaign for America the Beautiful could be a good idea and it could benefit the United States.  However, the outline which was put in place on how to go about this campaign needs some work.  Recommendations don't go very far in a plan when there is no set plan in place.  These officials are leaving it up to the locals to lead America to a better place.  Although the general idea of this makes sense, it leaves much open, blank space.  

With no direct definition of how these recommendations will become a reality and simple stating we need to conserve more of America's lands and waters, no progress is being made.  I understand the farmer's concern of not knowing what this means either as they were targeted multiple times throughout the document making it appear like they were a significant part of the problem.  

The first step in fixing any situation is identifying there is a problem.  The second step is admitting YOU are a part of it.  When I say "you", I mean anyone who lives in America.  We all contribute to the issues of pollution and lack of conservation and until there is leadership taken to change it, no reform will ever happen.  But it isn't enough to write up a bunch of recommendations and tell the public all the things that need to happen and then just leave it to be "locally-led" and the government will follow.  Why?  If there is a leader willing to lead this, chances are they are already trying to change and help things.  But in many places where this conservation may really be needed, there is no leadership there to help focus the efforts and truly make a difference.

My interpretation of this campaign is different than every article that I've read.  Neither of the perspectives are necessarily wrong however, none are necessarily right.  There is clearly the need for reform and change in the way America is protecting it's land but how it gets accomplished will be determined by the American people.  

If you haven't already, I strongly encourage everyone to read the campaign and form their own opinion and perspective on it.  What I read in the articles versus the information that was actually given in the campaign were two different things from my perspective.  Find yours by reading the campaign at Conserving and Restoring America the Beautiful.