Posted on 03/06/2025 8:27:49 AM PST by Diana in Wisconsin
MADISON, Wis. - 'Fromagination' Cheese Shop has sat across the street from the Capitol for 17 years. But the owner says this year, with executive orders and federal policies, he's concerned about the future of his business and the dairy industry.
“We want to showcase Wisconsin's rich treasure, and that's cheese,” owner and founder Ken Monteleone said.
And for 17 years, Ken Monteleone has been the final stop in that treasure's long journey.
“You know, from our dairy farmers, from our cheesemakers to the people that sell the cheese, it's a big industry that's not only important in Wisconsin, but across the country,” Monteleone said.
Roughly 80% of Fromagination’s inventory is from Wisconsin producers.
But now Monteleone thinks the future is not looking so "gouda," and needs to be fought for.
“It's a lot of chaos,” Monteleone said. “A lot of our cheesemakers have been coming to us with concerns.”
Monteleone felt he needed to take those concerns to the top, writing a letter to President Donald Trump.
“So, we're just keeping our ‘sharp’ eye on it and just letting our voices be heard,” he said.
He says what's been worrying him and his business partners are the Trump administration's handling of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the quote "demonization" and crackdown of immigrant labor, and USDA funding, which is already impacting some of his Wisconsin suppliers.
“A couple of them had grants pulled from them unexpectedly and unfortunately, a lot of the money had already been in motion being spent to improve their business model and structure. And just out of the blue, they no longer have those funds,” Monteleone said.
He also sees other agricultural initiatives in the area taking a hit.
“The CFA Coalition in Wisconsin, which is an organization with 80 local small-scale farmers, just lost a huge grant that was $500,000 that was unexpectedly taken from them,” Monteleone said.
He hopes others will join him in making their voices heard.
“You know, we want to hold our politicians and our government accountable,” Monteleone said. “95% of all the dairy farmers in Wisconsin are local, small, family-owned businesses, even though it represents $43 billion of our economy. We all pull together, so regardless of our political views, we are really here to bring to life the industry.”
Because while Wisconsin's treasure is cheese, for him, “it's the people. It's the hardworking people in our state that really bring to life the fruits of their labor.”
“I guess, ‘The Cheese Mafia’ isn’t all that powerful. ;)”
Ahem. Polly-O in NYC...
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