Spring Break
Cheese on campus to stay local
Proposed bill requires use of state-made products
Adrian Northrup
Issue date: 3/3/08 Section: News
Ever wonder if the cafeteria macaroni and cheese was made with Wisconsin cheese? Rep. Jeff Smith (D-Eau Claire) is proposing a bill to the Wisconsin House of Representatives that would make sure it was.
The bill requires all University of Wisconsin campuses to purchase cheese manufactured or processed by dairies in Wisconsin, according to the bill. Cheese made with Wisconsin milk would also qualify, legislative aid for Jeff Smith, Nate Williams, said.
Junior Kara Karlin said being from Wisconsin gave her a better knowledge about cheese and the
different types.
"I think I have a better taste when it comes to cheese, being from Wisconsin," she said.
Eau Claire uses about 1,900 pounds of cheese per week, UW-Eau Claire Food Director Gary Prellwitz said. About 1,500 pounds of the cheese is purchased from a company in Green Bay. Prellwitz said he tried to find out the origins of the cheese last semester.
"They (the distributor) couldn't tell me how much of the cheese was Wisconsin Cheese," he said.
Prellwitz said he thinks the bill wouldn't impact how the university purchases cheese, but would make a difference on the manufacturing and distribution side.
"Wisconsin manufacturing would have to keep up with the demand," Prellwitz said.
The idea of the bill is to help the cheese industry in the state, Williams said, as well as providing quality food to campuses across the state.
"It's clear that Wisconsin makes the best cheese," he said. "We feel that students on campus would benefit from getting higher quality cheese in the meals they eat."
Karlin said she thinks that the bill is a good idea, especially the idea of promoting Wisconsin dairy farms.
"We always hear about the California commercials with the happy cows, you don't ever see commercials for Wisconsin," she said. "It's a good idea to promote Wisconsin in Wisconsin."
Current laws state contractual services must be awarded to the lowest bidder with preference to state vendors. The bill would prohibit any campus in the UW-system from purchasing any ingredients or food products that contained dairy products that were not Wisconsin-made, according to the bill.
One challenge Prellwitz said he saw in the bill was getting national food chains like Taco Bell and Blimpie Subs to comply. He said he has less control over the purchases of their ingredients, because each chain has certain rules and regulations.
Williams said there may be some amendments to the bill, if necessary.
The bill has not been assigned to the docket, but has been sent to the Chief Clerk's Office to get referred to a committee, Williams said.
The bill requires all University of Wisconsin campuses to purchase cheese manufactured or processed by dairies in Wisconsin, according to the bill. Cheese made with Wisconsin milk would also qualify, legislative aid for Jeff Smith, Nate Williams, said.
Junior Kara Karlin said being from Wisconsin gave her a better knowledge about cheese and the
different types.
"I think I have a better taste when it comes to cheese, being from Wisconsin," she said.
Eau Claire uses about 1,900 pounds of cheese per week, UW-Eau Claire Food Director Gary Prellwitz said. About 1,500 pounds of the cheese is purchased from a company in Green Bay. Prellwitz said he tried to find out the origins of the cheese last semester.
"They (the distributor) couldn't tell me how much of the cheese was Wisconsin Cheese," he said.
Prellwitz said he thinks the bill wouldn't impact how the university purchases cheese, but would make a difference on the manufacturing and distribution side.
"Wisconsin manufacturing would have to keep up with the demand," Prellwitz said.
The idea of the bill is to help the cheese industry in the state, Williams said, as well as providing quality food to campuses across the state.
"It's clear that Wisconsin makes the best cheese," he said. "We feel that students on campus would benefit from getting higher quality cheese in the meals they eat."
Karlin said she thinks that the bill is a good idea, especially the idea of promoting Wisconsin dairy farms.
"We always hear about the California commercials with the happy cows, you don't ever see commercials for Wisconsin," she said. "It's a good idea to promote Wisconsin in Wisconsin."
Current laws state contractual services must be awarded to the lowest bidder with preference to state vendors. The bill would prohibit any campus in the UW-system from purchasing any ingredients or food products that contained dairy products that were not Wisconsin-made, according to the bill.
One challenge Prellwitz said he saw in the bill was getting national food chains like Taco Bell and Blimpie Subs to comply. He said he has less control over the purchases of their ingredients, because each chain has certain rules and regulations.
Williams said there may be some amendments to the bill, if necessary.
The bill has not been assigned to the docket, but has been sent to the Chief Clerk's Office to get referred to a committee, Williams said.
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