Wisconsin is the only state that tracks specialty cheese production. The following statistics, provided by the Wisconsin Agricultural Statistics Service, underscore the strong growth of specialty cheeses in the Dairy State.
- In 2006, Wisconsin companies produced 387 million pounds of specialty cheese, 7% more than in 2005.
- Specialty cheese accounted for 16 percent of the state's total cheese production of 2.4 billion pounds.
- Of Wisconsin's 115 cheese plants, 80 produced at least one type of specialty cheese in 2006.
- Among the most popular specialty varieties produced in Wisconsin are Blue, Feta, specialty Provolone, Parmesan wheels, Hispanic cheeses and a fast-growing selection of signature "American Original" artisan and farmstead cheeses.
- Three cheese varieties increased in production by more than 10 percent from 2005 to 2006: Specialty Cheddar, Parmesan Wheel and Italian Fontina.
Top 5 Fastest Growing Specialties
% Production Increase, 2004 - 2005
| Specialty Cheddar |
43% |
| Asiago |
24% |
| Hispanic Types |
15% |
| Feta |
9% |
| Specialty Provolone |
5.5% |
Top 5 Varieties by Volume
2005 Production (million pounds)
| Feta |
56.5 |
| Specialty Provolone |
45.8 |
| Hispanic Types |
44.1 |
| Parmesan Wheel |
38.1 |
| Asiago |
25.6 |
Factoid: Of the 355 million pounds of specialty cheese crafted in Wisconsin in 2005, 105 million pounds falls into the "all other" category. It includes varieties such as Blue, Brie and Camembert, Gorgonzola, Edam, Gruyere and Gouda; specialty variations of classics like Monterey Jack, Parmesan, Colby, Romano and Swiss; and a fast-growing roster of "Wisconsin Originals" such as Les Freres, Italico and Fontiago—cheeses as unique as the craftsmen and women who create them. This "all other" category grew by 2.7 percent from 2004 to 2005.
