U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer urged the U.S.

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to issue

clear guidelines to artisanal cheesemakers in Upstate New York around a potential new mandate
that cheesemakers fear could require them to abandon the centuries-old practice of using wooden
cheese boards to age cheese. Schumer explained that just this past week, the FDA issued an
interpretation of one of its own safety rules, and cheesemakers across Upstate New York believe
that, as a result of this FDA interpretation, they will no longer able to use wooden boards as part
of the cheese-aging process. However, the FDA has not been clear about how its interpretation
will affect cheesemakers. Schumer explained that the use of wooden boards to age cheese is a
common practice one that has gone on for centuries and will say that any safety concerns
with wooden boards disregard scientific evidence that has shown them to be safe for use in aging
cheese. Schumer noted that cheesemakers believe the FDAs new rule interpretation could force
them to undertake costly renovations in order to comply with new cheese-aging restrictions, and
could drive some cheesemakers completely out of business. Schumer said that the lack of clarity
from the FDA is creating confusion among Upstate New York cheesemakers about the future of
their businesses and is undermining the burgeoning Upstate New York artisanal cheese industry.
In light of the confusion, and the potentially disastrous impact of any new mandate that requires
cheesemakers to change their practices, Schumer called on the FDA to issue clear guidelines to
Upstate New York cheesemakers on the use of wooden boards and reconsider any potential
regulations that would prevent cheesemakers from using wooden boards to age cheese.



Capital Region
COUNTY
Artisanal Cheesemakers in
County
Types of Cheese Produced at
farm/facility
Columbia Amazing Real Live Food Co, LLC Camembert, Farmers cheese,
Tomme
Golden Harvest Farms Inc. Various cheeses
Hawthorne Family Farm Cheddar, Alpine
Old Chatham Sheepherding Co. Sheep's milk cheese
Pampered Cow Creamery Gourmet cheeses
Fulton Euphrates Inc. Feta
*Estimated Number of Artisanal Cheesemakers in Upstate New York: 75
Greene Dancing Lamb Farm Sheep cheese
Pupovich Provisions Mozzarella, Harpersfield, Ricotta
Montgomery Mohawk Dairy Various cheeses
Danascara Cheese Various cheeses
Rensselaer Mapledale Farm Cheddar, Colby
Schenectady Capiello F. Dairy Products Inc. Ricotta, Mozzarella
Schoharie Brovetto Dairy and Cheese House Various cheeses
Kipp Hill Farm Goat cheese
Washington 3-Corners Field Farm Ricotta, Sheep's milk cheese
Argyle Cheese Farmer Dunlop, Scot, Cheddar, Welch,
Gouda
Homestead Artisans Various cheeses
Sweet Spring Farm Chevre
TOTAL 18


Central New York
COUNTY
Artisanal Cheesemakers in
County
Types of Cheese Produced at
farm/facility
Cayuga Finger Lakes Dexter Creamery Artisan, Raw milk, Farmstead,
Kefir
Hillcrest Dairy Raw milk cheddar
Keeley's Cheese Company Various cheeses
Lewis Shultz Family Cheese Fresh cheeses, Curds, Pressed
cheese
Madison Meadowood Farms Feta
Oneida Adirondack Cheese Co Inc. Cheddar spreads, Wheels, Bricks
Clinton Cider Mill Various cheeses
Jake's Cheese Gouda
Onondaga Abbott's Ark Various cheeses
Bella Via Farms Goat cheese, Feta, Chevre
C's Cheese Cheese balls
TOTAL 11


Rochester Finger Lakes
COUNTY
Artisanal Cheesemakers in
County
Types of Cheese Produced at
farm/facility
Genesee Kutter's Cheese Factory Cheddar, Monterey Jack,
Muenster, Colby, Limberger
Yancey's Fancy Cheddar, European style

Monroe Wegmans Various cheeses (Cheese Aging
Cave)
Seneca Lively Run Goat Dairy Chevre, Cayuga Blue, Feta
Muranda Cheese Co. Raw milk cheddar, Pasteurized
milk cheddar
Vanillen Dairy Morning Glory, Butternut
Wayne Helluva Good Cheddar, Monterey Jack, Various
shredded and spreads
Yates Shtayburne Farms Cheddar curds, Cheddar,
Monterey Jack
Lively Run Various cheeses
TOTAL 9


Western New York
COUNTY
Artisanal Cheesemakers in
County
Types of Cheese Produced at
farm/facility
Niagara Humble House Gardens Goat cheese
TOTAL 1


Southern Tier
COUNTY
Artisanal Cheesemakers in
County
Types of Cheese Produced at
farm/facility
Allegany Cuba Cheese Co. Cheddar, Extra aged cheddar
Empire Cheese Various cheeses
Friendship Dairies Cottage cheese, Farmers cheese
Broome Crowley Foods Cottage cheese
Dutch Hill Creamery Curds
Delaware Friesland Campina Domo Various cheeses
Kortright Creek Creamery Various cheeses
Otsego Cooperstown Cheese Company Northern Italian, Alpine, Cheddar,
Colby
Dutch Girl Cheese LLC Goat cheese, Sheep cheese, Cow
cheese
Krugerrand Farms Raw milk goat cheese
Painted Goat Farm Goat cheese
Raindance Farm Organic sun cheese
Schuyler Sunset View Creamery Curds, Monterey Jack
Steuben The Golden Age Cheese Co. Cheddar, Mozzarella, Muenster,
Curds, Swiss
Tioga Engelbert Farms Cheddar, Feta, Gouda, La Vache
Leprino Various cheeses
Tompkins Jerry Dell Farm Aged cheddar
Kenton's Cheese Co. Binaco, Pauline
TOTAL 18

Hudson Valley
COUNTY
Artisanal Cheesemakers in
County
Types of Cheese Produced at
farm/facility
Dutchess
Coach Farm Goat cheese
Sprout Creek Farm Ouray, Toussaint, Barat, Bogart,
Madeleine
Orange Edgwick Farm Goat cheese, Moodna,
Canterbury, Trestle
Rockland Icco Cheese Various cheeses
Ulster Acorn Hill Farmstead Cheese Chevre, Feta, Ricotta
Lynnhaven Nubians Goat cheese, Feta, Brie, Ricotta
Westchester Best Cheese Corporation Parrano cheese
Made In The Hudson Valley Specialty cheeses
Rainbeau Ridge Goat cheese
TOTAL 9

North Country
COUNTY
Artisanal Cheesemakers in
County
Types of Cheese Produced at
farm/facility
Essex Asgaard Farm and Dairy Various cheeses
Franklin McCadam Cheese Co Inc. Multiple products; Muenster and
cheddar
Herkimer Herkimer County Cheese Various cheeses
Jefferson 1000 Islands River Rat Cheese Cheddar, Muenster, Curds
Black River Valley Farm Various cheeses
Burrville Cider Mill Inc. Curds, Various Cheeses
Clayton Harbour Various cheeses
St. Lawrence Heritage Cheese Curds, Various Cheeses
Warren Nettle Meadow Farm Goat cheese, Fresh cheese
TOTAL 9

* Report is based off of research by the office of U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer and is not
necessarily a comprehensive list of cheesemakers throughout New York State.