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      • ACS Webinar: Advances in Dairy Cattle Welfare Science
      • Vermont Cheese Summit
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      • 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
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      • 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
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      • Dairy Plant Food Safety Workshop-Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy
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      • Dairy Plant Food Safety Workshop-Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy
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    • Past Winners Archive
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    • Eligibility Criteria
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    • Recertification
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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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      • Advocacy & Engagement Timeline
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      • Cheese Educator Directory
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      • Body of Knowledge
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  3. Industry Data

Industry Data

American artisan, farmstead, and specialty cheese industry data

IndustryData Header

Industry Data

American artisan, farmstead, and specialty cheese industry data

Key Statistics

For ACS and the Cheese Industry

Slide1 CheeseIndustry Image

Since 1983

ACS Annual Conference

In 1983, the 1st ACS Conference welcomed 150 attendees. Since that time, the Conference has grown to be the industry’s premier educational event, with approximately 1,400 industry professionals in attendance.

Learn More
Slide2 JudgingCompetition Image

Since 1985

ACS Judging & Competition

The ACS Judging & Competition has grown from just 89 entries in 1985 to over 2,000 entries today.

Learn More
Slide3 ACSMembership Image

ACS Membership

ACS membership now includes more than 2,400 individuals

Join Us
Slide4 CheesemakersInTheUS Image

Cheesemakers in the U.S.

There are nearly 1,000 artisan and specialty cheesemakers in the U.S., according to ACS’s 2018 “State of the U.S. Artisan/Specialty Cheese Industry Survey.”

Industry Surveys

Industry Surveys

2022StateOfTheUS

2022 State of the U.S. Artisan/Specialty Cheese Industry Survey

  • Report of Key Findings: includes data on demographics, production, marketing, food safety, industry participation, and attitudes and perceptions.
  • Benchmarking Report: includes data on geography, production methods, production volume, milk types, marketing and distribution practices, and profitability.
  • Food Safety Report: includes findings on aging practices, food safety planning, milk testing, regulatory knowledge, inspections, and audits.

Digital copies are available for download at the following rates:

  • ACS members: $125 for all 3 reports
  • Non-members: $750 for all 3 reports

If you completed the industry survey, you have FREE access to the reports. Simply log in to the ACS Learning Center in the top right corner and the reports will be downloadable.

Purchase 2022 reports

StateOfTheUS

State of the U.S. Artisan/Specialty Cheese Industry Survey

Since 2016, the biennial State of the U.S. Artisan/Specialty Cheese Industry Survey, funded by the American Cheese Education Foundation, provides critical data about the small businesses that make up the community of artisan, farmstead, and specialty cheesemakers in America.

Access to the State of the U.S. Artisan/Specialty Cheese Industry Survey Reports is available to current ACS members only.

Industry Reports

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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
  • Search
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