Events & Education
Upcoming Events, Courses and Workshops:
CONNECT U by Dairy Connection | Online Courses: Ongoing
Created, produced, and hosted by Dairy Connection, CONNECT U is an online educational resource featuring presentations on a variety of dairy science topics. This easily-accessible, low-cost (often free) education and technical information platform is geared to assist cheesemakers, cheese retailers, and anyone interested in diving into the science of making cheese, yogurt, and other dairy products. All presentations are available a la carte, and new content and topics are added regularly. Learn more and enroll here: https://connectu.dairyconnection.com
American Cheese Society (ACS) Annual Conference | Louisville, KY: July 7-10, 2026
Learn, connect and celebrate with more than a thousand cheese makers, mongers, producers, retailers and enthusiasts at the annual ACS conference, taking place this year in Louisville, KY. Learn more here: https://cheesesociety.org/conference/2026-conference
Advanced Cheesemaking: Italian Varieties | Center for Dairy Research (CDR) | Madison, WI: September 15-17, 2026
This advanced level cheesemaking course takes a deep dive into Italian-style cheese varieties. Content that was previously a part of CDR's advanced cheese technology short course has been revamped to enhance your cheesemaking knowledge and skills with classroom lectures by CDR content experts, hands-on labs and activities, sensory experiences, and critical thinking exercises. Successful completion of CDR's Cheesemaking Fundamentals short course (or pre-approved work experience) is required prior to taking this course. Learn more here: https://cdr.wisc.edu/new-italian-style
Dairy Ingredient Fundamentals | Center for Dairy Research (CDR) | Madison, WI: October 6, 2026
This fundamentals course will cover the manufacture of dairy ingredients and their many applications in the food, pet, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries. The sessions include information on a variety of dairy ingredients including whey, permeate, milk protein, whey protein, and lactose. A tour of CDR’s new 2nd floor pilot plant is included. This course is designed for product developers that work with dairy ingredients or food industry professionals interested in learning more about dairy processing and ingredients. Learn more here: https://cdr.wisc.edu/new-dairy-ingredient-fundamentals
The Science of Cheese: Basic Level | Cornell University | Ithaca, NY: October 14, 2026
A hybrid event with both online and in-person components, this comprehensive course offers a deep dive into the art and science of cheesemaking. Designed for both beginners and those with some experience in the field. Learn more here: https://cals.cornell.edu/education/degrees-programs/science-cheese-making-basic-level
Cheese Grading & Evaluation | Center for Dairy Research (CDR) | Madison, WI: October 20-22, 2026
Join CDR experts for lectures, demonstrations, and lots of hands-on activities with graders from the industry to enhance your cheese grading and evaluation skills. This course is structured around the cheese grading standards covered by Wisconsin Ag chapter 81 and USDA grading standards, as well as informal industry standards for cheeses without Wisconsin standards. Learn more here: https://cdr.wisc.edu/new-cheese-grading
Artisan Food Safety Resource Hub | Online
Dairy products produced on farm, by artisans, and by small companies continue to drive rapid growth with unique cheese, yogurt and ice cream products sold at retail, restaurants or farmers markets around the country. To help these processors and assure the dairy industry continues to provide safe and nutritional products, the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy has developed resources for artisan and farmstead producers to make important food safety information more accessible. Find numerous resources, including several in Spanish, here: https://www.usdairy.com/about-us/innovation-center/food-safety/artisan-and-farmstead-dairy
Science of Farmstead Cheese | Online Course: Ongoing
Understand the fundamentals of cheese and milk chemistry with this self-paced online course. Modules include: Cheese, Culture and the Cheesemaker; Milk Chemistry; 10 Steps of Cheesemaking; Starter Culture Technology; Rennet and Coagulation; Salting and Molding; Cheese Aging Chemistry; Cheese Analysis and Evaluation; Course Summary and Next Steps. Cost of this course is $699 (discount available to Vermont Cheese Council members -- contact VCC for the discount code). Cost ranges from $20 to $135. To learn more about this course, visit: https://vermontcheese.thinkific.com/courses/science-of-farmstead-cheese
UW Center for Dairy Research Shortcourses | Madison, WI: Ongoing
The University of Wisconsin CDR offers a variety of shortcourses throughout the year (often including courses in Spanish). To learn more and view the current schedule, visit: https://www.cdr.wisc.edu/education
Food Safety Basics for Artisan Cheesemakers | Online Course: Ongoing
This online course is intended to equip artisan and farmstead cheesemakers with basic knowledge about food safety concepts and serve as a primer for further training programs, such as how to develop and implement a preventative controls food safety management plan. For a limited time, this $175 course is available at no cost when you use discount code DairyConnection at registration. To learn more, visit: https://www.ifpti.org/resource-catalog/p/artisan-cheesemakers-curriculum
Environmental Monitoring in the Dairy Industry | Online Course: Ongoing
This online course, developed by North Carolina State University, is intended to provide users with the knowledge and skills required to develop and implement an Environmental Monitoring Program (EMP) in the food industry. In this course, users will learn alongside virtual dairy processors in a virtual dairy processing facility to simulate on-the-job training. Fee for this on-demand course is $350. To learn more, visit: https://units.cals.ncsu.edu/foodsafety/environmental-monitoring-in-the-dairy-industry/
Dairy Science and Sanitation | Online Course: Ongoing
Available from Cornell University in either Spanish or English, this online self-paced Dairy Science and Sanitation workshop is tailored to dairy processing personnel and is designed to help participants understand the basic principles of dairy science and safety, as well as emphasize dairy processing establishment needs related to dairy sanitation to ensure that proper programs are conducted in their establishments. To learn more, visit: https://dairyextension.foodscience.cornell.edu/programs/certificate-program/basic-dairy-science-and-sanitation/