American Cheese Society
We help advocate for you
The American Cheese Society engages with regulators and other key stakeholders on a regular basis to advance issues of importance to our members and the industry. This work keeps American cheesemakers, and particularly traditional cheesemaking practices, top-of-mind for industry decision-makers.
POSITION STATEMENTS
The ACS Food Safety & Regulatory Committee works to shed light on issues, policies, regulations, and research that impact ACS members., The committee strives to review the facts and make recommendations to the Board of Directors on ACS positions and actions.
- ACS Statement on Safe Cheesemaking (2010)
- ACS Statement on the Safety of Raw Milk Cheese (2012)
- ACS Statement on the Importance of Artisan, Farmstead, and Specialty Cheese (2010)
- ACS Statement on the Safety of Aging Cheese on Wood (2014)
- ACS Statement on the Definition of Milk, Milk Products, and Cheese (2017)
- ACS Statement on Healthy Labeling (2023)
- ACS Statement on Plant-Based Drink Labeling (2023)
ENGAGEMENT WITH FDA
ACS engages with FDA on a regular basis via in-person meetings and phone calls to ensure open lines of communication and to build understanding of our industry.
ACS meets annually with FDA in the spring of each year. Attendance depends on the issues at hand, and generally includes ACS’s Executive Director, Board President, and members of the Regulatory & Academic Committee.
ACS invites an FDA representative to present to members at the ACS Annual Conference each year. This allows attendees to hear updates on issues relevant to ACS members directly from FDA.
ARTISAN CHEESE SAFETY ADVISORY TEAM
The Artisan Cheese Safety Advisory Team is a consortium of dairy industry leaders that was formed to enhance artisan cheese food safety and pathogen control by developing clear, easily accessible resources and training, including:
- Safe Cheesemaking Hub – A compendium of food safety resources selected and organized to help cheesemakers easily find the information they need, powered by the American Cheese Society
- Food Safety Basics for Artisan Cheesemakers – Online food safety course through North Carolina State University, accessible anytime from anywhere. Free for ACS Members.
- Hands-on Food Safety Coaching – Work sessions to help artisan and farmstead producers develop/improve their Food Safety Plan
- Listeria Guidance for the U.S. Dairy Industry – Comprehensive guidance for manufacturers of all sizes, free online in English and Spanish
Advocacy & Engagement Timeline
