Blog
Certification, education, advocacy, events, industry news and the members behind them — written by the Federation, for the people who make, age, sell and buy the cheese.
Registration opens for this year's conference
Registration for the ICF Annual Conference 2024 is open, and early sign-up shapes which workshops and cave tours actually run — here's what to know before you book.
Read postCrossing state lines with raw-milk cheese
Federal rules on shipping raw-milk cheese across state lines haven't changed in decades, but enforcement questions keep resurfacing, and members want a plainer answer than they're getting.
Read postYour cheese needs its own market permit
Farmers market season is opening across the country, and members setting up a stand for the first time keep hitting the same surprise: the homemade-food rules don't cover…
Read postCheese and butter climb together
Spot cheese and butter both firmed at the exchange this spring after a soft winter, and our members are split on whether it's relief or just a different…
Read postA deadline that lands on a Monday
Today is the last day to enroll in this year's federal dairy margin protection program, and our advocacy volunteers have spent the month reminding members not to let…
Read postThe credential for the part nobody photographs
The Advanced Affinage Certificate covers the unglamorous middle of a cheese's life: the months in the cave between the make and the counter. Here's what it actually tests.
Read postThe flush that doesn't wait for you
Spring kidding season means a short, rich window of goat milk that rewards fast, confident cheesemaking. A look at why the flush is unforgiving and where to learn…
Read postFive weeks in, already behind on sleep
Danielle Okafor joined the federation five weeks ago as an assistant cheesemaker chasing alpine styles. She's already found the credential track she wants and the course that's teaching…
Read postWhat judge accreditation actually requires
Scoring a wheel and judging a competition are different skills. Here's what our Competition Judge Accreditation actually tests before anyone gets a seat at the table.
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