How Much Cheese Does Wisconsin Produce? The Numbers Are Crazy

Not that the state of Wisconsin is entertaining any ideas of seceding from the United States, but I think a fun fact about Wisconsin is that if it were its own country, it would rank 4th in the entire world in cheese production. Since they're not a sovereign nation, here's the actual world order of cheese producers (with Wisconsin added), based on yearly output:

• United States: 13.2 billion pounds
• Germany: 5.6 billion pounds
• France: 4.4 billion pounds
• (Wisconsin: 4.2 billion pounds)
• Italy: 3.1 billion pounds
• Russia: 2.4 billion pounds

Another thing to consider when pondering Wisconsin's undying commitment to the art of cheese-making is that well over 1 million cows live in Wisconsin (that's about one cow for every 5 Wisconsin residents), and 90% of their milk goes toward cheese-making.

I Mentioned That Wisconsin's Cheese Production Numbers Were Crazy, So Let's Take A Look At Some

According to the Dairy Farmers Of Wisconsin, the top 6 states for cheese production are (based upon 2023 totals):

1. Wisconsin: 24.7%
2. California: 17.5%
3. Idaho: 7.1%
4. New Mexico: 7.0%
5. New York: 5.9%
6. Minnesota: 5.7%

Wisconsin also leads the nation in production of these cheeses:

• Feta: 84%
• Romano: 59%
• Parmesan: 54%
• Provolone: 53%
• Specialty Cheese: 51%
• Muenster: 36%
• Total Cheese: 25%
• Cheddar: 18%

Of the 14.211 billion pounds of cheese produced in the United States in 2023, 3.515 billion pounds came from Wisconsin.

Wisconsin Has Been All-In On Cheese-Making Since Before They Even Became A State Back In 1848, But There Is Something That They Take A Very Dim View Of

You may have already guessed what that is, but in case you haven't, it's this:

Wisconsin Did Have, At One Time, A Serious Problem With Margarine

When your state is all about dairy, I can see where some oily concoction that purports to taste like butter would send lawmakers into action. And it did.

From 1925-1967 margarine was banned from sale in the state of Wisconsin. Even today, there's a law regarding margarine that was put on Wisconsin's books way back in 1895.

WhoKnew.com:

No joke. Wisconsin statute 98.17 has been in place since 1895 and it still stands today. It’s still illegal for restaurants to serve margarine – unless the customer specifically orders it. The “yellow stick from Satan himself,” as Governor Warren Knowles called it – is also a big no no in prisons, hospitals, schools or other state institutions – unless absolutely necessary for health reasons.