Membership

Four tiers, one federation.

Dues start at $170 a year. Every tier carries the same vote, the same weekly brief and the same discount on credential exams — the difference is how many people at your organization the membership covers, and what your organization needs from us.

The rate card

Individual

$170/yr

For one person: a monger behind a counter, a maker between jobs, a student on the ladder.

Credential exam discounts on every rung of the ladder
The weekly brief, plus the full archive
One committee seat of your choosing

Join as an Individual

Creamery

Most common

$480/yr

For the people who make the cheese, from a two-vat farmstead to a regional plant.

Covers up to 6 staff under one membership
Competition entry included — no per-wheel fee
Listing in the buyers' directory

Join as a Creamery

Retailer

$390/yr

For shops, counters and wholesale buyers who have to make the case in front of a customer.

Covers up to 4 staff under one membership
Priority in Certified Cheese Professional cohorts
Case-planning resources: rotation, margin and shrink

Join as a Retailer

Affiliate

$260/yr

For suppliers, laboratories and distributors — the businesses the rest of the trade runs on.

For suppliers, labs and distributors
First refusal on event sponsorship
Listing in the organization directory

Join as an Affiliate

What every tier includes

The Monday brief. One email a week on prices, policy and what other members are doing, with the whole archive open to you.
A vote. Every membership carries one vote in the annual election, whatever it costs.
Committee access. Standards, Food Safety, Education, Events, Membership and Advocacy all seat members, not just board members.
Member rates on everything. Courses, workshops, the Annual Conference and the competition.
Comment standing. When we file on a proposed rule, your comment goes in the packet.
The directory. Find a lab, a distributor, a cave or a buyer among 641 member organizations in 41 countries.

How dues billing works

Dues are annual.: One payment covers twelve months. There is no monthly plan and no joining fee.
Billed on your join date.: Your year runs from the day you join, not from January. Join in August and you renew in August.
Auto-renew is optional.: Turn it on and we take the dues on the anniversary. Leave it off and we send a renewal notice 30 days out and a reminder at 7. Either way you can switch it in your account.
Changing tier mid-year.: Move up and we bill the difference, prorated to your renewal date. Move down at renewal. A creamery that closes can ask Membership about hardship dues.

Join the Federation

Tell us which tier fits and we will set up the membership. Applications are reviewed by Membership Operations, usually within two business days.

Start your application This is a demonstration site: the application goes to a contact page, not to a payment processor.