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.
The stand that worked through the heat
A farmstead vendor on running a Fourth of July market stand through a record heat wave, and the small habits that kept a full case from turning on…
Read postGetting your stand ready for peak market season
Farmers market traffic peaks over the next two months. Our Direct-to-Consumer & Farmers' Markets course covers the operational side that's easy to overlook once the crowds show up.
Read postWhat the Cheese Foundations Certificate actually covers
Our entry-level credential is often the first thing a new hire or career-changer earns with the federation. Here's what it actually tests, and who it's built for.
Read postWhat crossing a state line costs your cheese
Direct-to-consumer cheese sales keep growing, but a shipment that crosses a state line can trigger a different labeling or licensing rule than the one you shipped under yesterday.
Read postOne month out from Asheville
The ICF Annual Conference lands in Asheville, North Carolina on July 19. With a month to go, here's what to lock down now if you're planning on being…
Read postA quality manager's second shift
One member spends her mornings on environmental monitoring and her evenings training the two new hires who'll eventually take that job off her plate.
Read postThe real cost of a cold cave
Feed costs have dominated the dairy conversation this year, but members tell us the line item that's changed the most this summer is the electric bill for the…
Read postGet ready for the allergen labeling webinar
Our free allergen labeling webinar is next month, and it's a good one to attend even if your label hasn't changed in years. Here's what it will cover…
Read postThe manager who rewrote her checklist
A farmstead quality manager rebuilt her deviation checklist after hearing another member describe a near-miss. We asked what changed and why it stuck.
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