Current through August 26, 2024
(1) LICENSE REQUIRED. No person may operate
as a cheesemaker, as defined in s.
97.17(1),
Stats., without a cheesemaker license from the department. A license expires on
January 1 of the second calendar year beginning after the license is
issued.
(2) LICENSE APPLICATION. A
person shall apply for a cheesemaker license on a form provided by the
department. The application shall include all of the following:
(a) Documentation of cheesemaker
qualifications under sub. (3).
(b)
The fee required under sub. (5).
(3) QUALIFICATIONS. A cheesemaker license
application under sub. (2) shall include documentation approved by the
department to show that the applicant meets at least one of the following
requirements:
(a) The applicant has held a
cheesemaker license in this state within 10 years prior to the current license
application.
(b) The applicant has
at least 18 months of work experience as a cheesemaker assistant. Work
experience as a cheesemaker assistant shall be under the direct supervision of
a licensed cheesemaker, shall be within 10 years prior to the current license
application, and shall include at least one month of experience in the complete
process of cheesemaking.
(c) The
applicant has at least 12 months of work experience as a cheesemaker assistant
under par. (b) and has one of the following educational qualifications:
1. The applicant has successfully completed a
cheesemaking short course at the university of Wisconsin, or an equivalent
course from an accredited post-secondary educational institution, within 10
years prior to the current license application.
2. The applicant has at any time obtained a
2-year or greater degree, with a food science or equivalent major, from an
accredited post-secondary educational institution.
(d) The applicant has at least 6 months of
work experience as a cheesemaker assistant under par. (b) and holds a 4-year or
greater degree, with a food science or equivalent major, from the university of
Wisconsin or another accredited post-secondary educational
institution.
(e) Within 5 years
prior to the current license application, the applicant has completed at least
240 hours of on-the-job training in the complete process of cheesemaking under
the direct supervision of a licensed cheesemaker and has completed
department-approved courses in all of the following subjects:
1. Cheesemaking.
2. Production of safe dairy foods.
3. Hazard analysis critical control point
(HACCP) process control.
4.
Principles of milk pasteurization.
5. Dairy sanitation.
(4) EXAMINATION. An applicant for
a cheesemaker's license, other than a renewal license, shall pass a written
examination in order to qualify for the license. The license examination shall
test the applicant's knowledge of cheesemaking and related matters, and may
include questions related to any of the following:
(a) Laws related to cheesemaking, including
standards of identity, food safety standards, labeling requirements and related
matters.
(b) The fundamentals of
cheesemaking, including all of the following:
1. Preparation and care of
equipment.
2. Composition
control.
3. Preparation and use of
starter.
4. Pasteurization of milk,
cream, and other dairy ingredients.
5. Problems of acidity control.
6. Common cheese defects and methods of
overcoming them.
7. Yeast, mold and
bacterial control methods.
(c) Relevant arithmetical problems related to
dairy plant operations, cheese production, plant efficiencies and dairy product
values.
(d) Practical working
knowledge related to all of the following:
1.
Testing milk and dairy products for bacteria, sediment and acidity.
2. Grading milk, cream and dairy
ingredients.
3. Analysis of cheese
composition.
4. Judging cheese
samples.
5. Fundamentals of
pasteurization.
(5) LICENSE FEE. An applicant for a
cheesemaker license shall pay a license fee of $75.
(6) ACTION ON LICENSE APPLICATION. The
department shall grant or deny a license application under sub. (2) within 20
days after the applicant submits a complete application and takes any
examination required under sub. (4). If an examination is required under sub.
(4), the department shall administer the examination within 40 days after the
department receives a complete license application under sub. (2) unless the
applicant agrees to a later examination date.
(7) CONDITIONAL LICENSE. The department may
issue a license under s.
97.17,
Stats., on a conditional basis, pursuant to s.
93.06(8),
Stats. If the department issues a license to an applicant who qualifies under
sub. (3) (e), the license shall be a conditional license for at least 2 years.
The conditional license status shall be removed from the license if the license
holder has met the requirements in pars. (a) and (b) and completed the period
of conditional licensure set by the department. The department may summarily
suspend the license if the license holder fails to do any of the following:
(a) Successfully complete a performance
evaluation conducted by qualified department staff at any time during the
conditional license term. The department may conduct an evaluation at any time,
at its discretion.
(b) Complete the
40 hours of department-approved continuing education related to cheesemaking by
the end of the conditional license period. Continuing education programs may
include any of the following:
1. Seminars on
cheese safety, quality and grading provided by a trade association or other
continuing education provider.
2.
Short courses on cheesemaking and grading provided by an accredited university
or university extension service.
3.
Other programs approved by the department.
