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      • Dairy Economics and Unit Operations in Dairy Processing
      • Yogurts, Fermented Milks and Probiotic Dairy Products
      • Cheese Trivia with the Daphne Zepos Teaching Endowment
      • Dairy Basics: Fundamentals of Quality & Safety Workshop
      • Hazard Analysis & Preventive Controls for Small-Scale Dairy Processors Workshop
      • ACS Webinar: From Insights to Opportunity: Consumer Trends Driving Cheese Sales in 2024
      • ACS Webinar: Advances in Dairy Cattle Welfare Science
      • Vermont Cheese Summit
      • Affinage: The Art and Science of Maturing Cheese course
      • Affinage: The Art and Science of Maturing Cheese course
      • Affinage: The Art and Science of Maturing Cheese course
      • Affinage: the Art and Science of Maturing Cheese course
      • Dairy Products Innovation Conference
      • Hispanic and Mediterranean Short Course
      • Vermont Cheese Week Kickoff Celebration
      • Vermont Cheese Camp: The Land of Milk & Mountains
      • Vermont Cheese Camp: Cheese as a Way of Life
      • Dairy Plant Food Safety Workshop-Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy
      • Dairy Plant Food Safety Workshop-Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy
      • Biosecurity for On-Farm Dairy Processors
      • ACS Webinar: Evaluating the New Small Ruminant Mastitis Vaccine
      • Cheese Making Practical Shortcourse
      • ACS Webinar: Cutting Through the Quat: Tackling Dairy Wastewater Challenges
      • ACS Webinar: Shaping the Future of Artisan Cheese Through Today's Consumer Trends
      • The Dairy Connection on Milk and Cheese defects (Columbus, OHIO)
      • ACS Webinar: Brie-lliant Ideas: Building a Conference Proposal with the Education Committee
      • ACS Webinar: Two Approaches to the History of Ancient and Medieval Cheesemaking
      • Introduction to Artisan Cheesemaking: Milk to Make to Market
      • Affinage: Techniques, Microbes and Facilities
      • Advanced Cheesemaking: Simplifying Difficult Cheeses
      • 2025 Dairy Products Process & Packaging Innovation Conference
      • Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy Supplier Management Food Safety Workshop
      • ACS Webinar: The Insider's Guide to Entering ACS Judging & Competition
      • Introduction to Cheese Making Technology short course- Hands on!
      • Los Angeles International Dairy Competition
      • The Science & Craft of Raw Milk Cheese Conference
      • Dairy Pasteurization Short Course
      • Cheesemaking Short Course
      • Three-Day HACCP Short Course
      • Artisanal Cheesemaking
      • ACS Webinar: Latest Updates on Avian Flu Issues
      • Bolstering Your Dairy Foods Business, Through Successful Third Party Audits - NC State University
      • Introduction to Cheese Making Technology (spring, annually)
      • ACS Webinar: Unlock Salumiere Certification with the Charcuterie Professional Exam
      • Dairy Products 201
      • Counter Culture - Raleigh NC
      • Vermont Cheesemakers Festival 2025
      • ACS Certification - Live Ask Me Anything
      • ACS Conference Registration Opens!
      • ACS Conference Price Increase
      • ACS Conference Price Increase
      • ACS CCP® and ACS CCSE® Application Deadline
      • ACS J&C Entries Deadline
      • ACS Scholarship Application Deadline
      • ACS Award Nominations Deadline
      • ACS Judging & Competition
      • ACS Annual Conference
      • Vermont Cheese Week 2025
      • Frozen Desserts Innovation
      • Counter Culture Tampa - May 6, 2025
      • Counter Culture - San Diego May 16th
      • Dairy Plant Food Safety Workshop-Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy
      • Dairy Plant Food Safety Workshop-Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy
      • Dairy Plant Food Safety Workshop-Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy
      • Dairy Plant Food Safety Workshop-Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy
      • Summer Fancy Food Show
      • ACS Member Meetup at IDDBA
      • Crafting the Perfect Creamer: From Formula to Foam
      • ACS Webinar: EDIJ Audit Survey Results, Part 2: Caseinic Boogaloo
    • Submit Industry Event
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  3. Strategic Plan

Strategic Plan

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Strategic Plan

LeftSide Cheese

Planning ahead for you

STRATEGIC PLAN 2021-2024

The ACS Strategic plan was developed with broad-based direction from stakeholders coupled with a proactive eye to the industry’s future. This multi-phased strategic planning process included:

  • Board of Directors Self-Assessment and Analysis
  • Member Satisfaction Survey
  • Post-Conference Survey
  • State of the Artisan and Specialty Cheese Industry Survey
  • Denver Management Team Strategic Visioning/Planning
  • Board of Directors Strategic Visioning/Planning
  • Board Approved initiatives, goals, strategies, tactics, and timeline

By incorporating so many points of information and so many in-depth steps, the plan responds to member needs by specifically addressing areas of concern through targeted efforts to advance the industry. The plan identifies three Key Initiatives tied to the three Core Values of ACS: Engagement, Education, and Sustainability.

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2021-2024 STRATEGIC GOALS AND OBJECTIVES (REVISED 05-18-2022)

GOAL 1 – RESPOND TO CLIMATE CHANGE  

Identify industry impact on the environment by inventorying existing practices using academic partners to provide a series of prioritized recommendations for the best practices for member businesses to address climate change, access resources to further reduce environmental impact, and messaging to inform consumers on industry contributions.  

Key objectives/Milestones

  1. Inventory general, positive, and negative impacts of existing practices using academic partners. Collect data through follow-up surveys to J&C submittals
  2. Identify, benchmark, and prioritize opportunities for impact reduction  
  3. Assist members in accessing government and other resources to support further impact reduction
  4. Quantify financial and public relations costs and benefits
  5. Create messaging to inform consumers on industry contributions to mitigate environmental impact 

GOAL 2 – DIVERSIFY EDUCATION PROGRAMS

Provide focused educational programs to targeted audiences using diversified delivery methods and locations based on the needs of the ACS membership. 

Key objectives/Milestones

  1. Inventory current ACS educational offerings and resources
  2. Identify gaps in educational offerings and resources based on industry needs by conducting a member survey 
  3. Based on the existing resources and identified gaps, develop a framework for a comprehensive ACS program that delivers targeted education and resources to specific segments of ACS membership/cheese industry using various delivery formats in different locations.
  4. Delivery of programs to targeted audiences in different locations based on member needs.  

GOAL 3 – COLLABORATE TO PROMOTE CHEESE INDUSTRY   

ACS will build a system to develop strategic partnerships to promote and provide resources for the cheese industry to increase value for our members. 

  1. Identify gaps and opportunities for collaboration in areas such as advocacy, funding, sponsorship, marketing, technology, and certification.
    (Mine existing data and/or query the membership: what do they need in both B2C and B2B realms?) 
  2. Find Partners and vet organizations with complimentary competencies to partner with members.
  3. Onboard partners with goals and milestones. Create framework to match partners and members for collaborative work…i.e. registry or database of contacts and services.  
  4. Measure the benefit: Member satisfaction and partner progress reporting. ACS Communicates Progress to Members.

GOAL 4 – CREATE A DIVERSITY, EQUITY, INCLUSION, AND BELONGING (DEIB) FRAMEWORK   

Develop frameworks and processes with a DEIB lens that guide organizational decisions on programming, policies, and operations. 

Key objectives/Milestones 

  1. Recruit individual members for a task force to represent a broad spectrum of the membership, with a particular focus on individuals from underrepresented and marginalized communities. 
  2. Task force will complete a systematic audit of current programming and policies.
  3. Task Force will draft framework, guidelines and benchmarks for success. 
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PO Box 3406

Englewood, CO 80155

phone: +1 720-328-2788

email: info@cheesesociety.org

  • Contact Us
  • American Cheese Education Foundation
  • Bylaws
  • Member & Events Code of Conduct
  • Privacy & Terms
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