Chicago, IL (February 6, 2013) — The United States Association of Cider Makers (USACM) was formed
today with the broad input of industry producers, stakeholders, and constituents from around the country –
including American Cheese Society (ACS) Executive Director, Nora Weiser, and President, Greg O’Neill.
Weiser and O’Neill were invited by USACM founders to facilitate planning discussions at the group’s
formational meeting in Chicago. They shared expertise drawn from ACS’s thirty-year history as a nonprofit
trade association, including its successful transition to self-management in 2010. They also shared
information about the growth of the artisan cheese industry in North America, drawing parallels to industries
such as craft beer and hard cider.

USACM is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit association dedicated to serving and representing the hard cider and perry industry in the United States. USACM’s mission is to gather and share information about cider and perry production; regulations concerning the production of hard cider and perry, and pear and apple growing; as well as to help members improve their operations, raise public awareness of their products, and promote the interests of cider and perry producers throughout the United States.

Nora Weiser, ACS Executive Director, says, “As ACS celebrates a milestone of thirty years in operation, we are thrilled to assist in the formation of USACM by sharing our experiences and lessons learned. There is great synergy between the hard cider and artisan cheese industries, and we’re excited to take part in the formation of an association driven by a membership similar to our own— passionate American producers. We look forward to watching USACM grow, and to many opportunities for collaboration in the years to come.”

Meetings attended by Weiser and O’Neill in Chicago were held immediately prior to CiderCon, a two-day
conference designed to give the commercial cider industry an outlet to network, share information, gain
timely information and education, and taste new products and pairing combinations. In conjunction with
today’s announcement about its formation, USACM also announced its inaugural Board of Directors:

Steve Wood, Farnum Hill Ciders, NH; Brad Page, Colorado Cider Company, CO; Mike Beck, Uncle John’s
Cider Mill, MI, Dan Rowell, Vermont Hard Cider, VT; Robert Vail, Angry Orchard, MA; James Kohn,
Wandering Aengus, OR; and Charlotte Shelton, Albemarle Cider Works, VA.

To learn more about the sold-out CiderCon, to be held February 7-8, 2013 in Chicago, IL, click here.