[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 9]
[Senate]
[Page 12123]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                            JUNE DAIRY MONTH

 Mr. FEINGOLD. Mr. President, June is a very special month for 
this nation's dairy industry. It is the month farmers and consumers 
join together to commemorate the contributions and history of our great 
dairy industry by celebrating National Dairy Month.
  Even before the 1937 inception of National Dairy Month, Wisconsin led 
the nation in milk and cheese production. Even today, Wisconsin leads 
the nation in cheese volume, processing nearly 90 percent of the more 
than 22 billion pounds of milk produced into cheese. More than 350 
varieties of cheese are produced in the state, including, Cheddar, 
American, Muenster, Brick, Blue and Italian, not to mention the famous 
Limburger cheese variety, which is only produced in Wisconsin. Also, 
Wisconsin buttermakers produce nearly 25 percent of the America's 
butter supply.
  National Dairy Month is the American consumer's oldest and largest 
celebration of dairy products and the people who have made the industry 
the success it is today. During June, Wisconsinities will hold nearly 
100 dairy celebrations across our state, including dairy breakfasts, 
ice cream socials, cooking demonstrations, festivals and other events. 
These events all highlight the quality, variety and great taste of 
Wisconsin dairy products and honor the producers who make it all 
possible.
  June Dairy Month is a time to celebrate America's dairy industry and 
Wisconsin dairy's proud tradition and heritage of quality. It provides 
Wisconsin's dairy farmers a special time to reflect on their 
accomplishments and those of their ancestors, and to look forward to 
continued success in the future.
  Wisconsin was nicknamed America's Dairyland in the 1930s, but it 
became a leader in the industry soon after the first dairy cow came to 
Wisconsin in the 1800's. Dairy history and the state's history have 
been intertwined from the beginning. Why, before Wisconsin was even 
declared a state, Wisconsin's first cheese ``factory'' established when 
one clever Wisconsinite combined milk from her cows with milk from her 
neighbor's cows and made it into cheese.
  Other Wisconsin dairy firsts include: the development of Colby cheese 
in 1874, the creation of brick cheese in 1875, the first dairy school 
in America--established in 1891 at the University of Wisconsin at 
Madison, the first statewide dairy show in the U.S. in 1928, and the 
creation of the world-record holding 40,060 pound, Grade-A Cheddar 
cheese in 1988. And Wisconsin also can claim one of the best-tasting 
inventions in the history of dairy industry: the creation of the first 
ice cream sundae in 1881.
  Also unique to Wisconsin's dairy industry is the crowing of ``Alice 
in Dairyland.'' This lucky young woman serves as the state's dairy 
ambassador all over the country, and often in other parts of the world. 
Last year's Alice, Jennifer Hasler of Monroe, represented Wisconsin 
well as she promoted Wisconsin's agriculture in California, Arizona, 
Minnesota and even Japan. She generated millions of dollars in unpaid 
advertising for hard working Wisconsin farmers. I congratulate her on 
her achievements and her hard work and wish the new Alice good luck in 
her year serving Wisconsin agriculture.
  I am proud to honor this great American tradition--proud to honor the 
dairy producers not only in Wisconsin, but also those across this great 
nation.

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