Madison, Wis. – The Wisconsin Master Cheesemaker® program, the nation’s only advanced certification course of its kind for veteran cheesemakers, has graduated two new and two returning Master Cheesemakers. With the new 2011 graduates, Wisconsin has 51 Masters. In total, they hold Masters’ certifications for 34 cheese varieties and represent 29 companies.

• Mike Matucheski, an award-winning cheesemaker at Sartori, Plymouth. He is now certified as a Wisconsin Master Cheesemaker in Asiago and Parmesan.
• Tim Pehl, who recently joined Chula Vista Cheese in Browntown. He is now certified as a Master in Blue and Gorgonzola.

• Steve Stettler of Decatur Dairy in Broadhead, who adds Specialty Swiss to the cheeses for which he’s certified as a Master. Stettler earned certification in 1999 for Havarti and Muenster, and in 2006 for Brick and Farmer's Cheese./li>
• Bruce Workman of Edelweiss Creamery in Monticello, who adds Brick and Muenster to the cheeses for which he’s certified as a Master. This is Workman’s fifth program completion. He previously earned certification for Baby Swiss, Butterkase, Emmental, Gruyere, Havarti, Raclette and Specialty Swiss./li>

About the Wisconsin Master Cheesemaker® program. The Wisconsin Master Cheesemaker® program is the most comprehensive, advanced training program in the country. Patterned after European programs, it is administered by the Wisconsin Center for Dairy Research and funded by Wisconsin dairy producers, through the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board. Applicants to the program must be active, licensed Wisconsin cheesemakers with at least 10 years of experience. Cheesemakers can earn certification in up to two cheese varieties each time they enroll in the three-year program and must have been making those varieties as a licensed cheesemaker for a minimum of five years prior to entering the program. Once certified, they’re entitled to use the distinctive Master’s Mark® on their product labels and in other marketing materials.

The Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board is a nonprofit organization of Wisconsin dairy producers that promotes the consumption of milk, cheese and other dairy products made in America's Dairyland.