Wisconsin leads in whey production as demand soars
MUSCODA, Wis. (WKOW) — A former cheese byproduct is now driving major growth for Wisconsin’s dairy industry as demand for whey protein products continues to surge.
The dairy industry contributes nearly $53 billion to Wisconsin’s economy every year. Cheesemakers produced 3.64 billion pounds of cheese last year, creating massive amounts of whey as a byproduct.
As the nation’s top cheese producer, Wisconsin now produces more dry whey than any other state in the country, accounting for about a third of total national production, according to Leonard Polzin, a dairy markets and policy outreach specialist at UW-Madison. That whey is dried, shipped to other suppliers and eventually put into products ranging from drinks to waffles.
“Milk has been around since the beginning of time, and now for something new, like whey protein to become popular from such an old product like milk is just a benefit for dairy farmers and Wisconsin and people in general,” said Scott Meister of Meister Cheese.
The national push for more protein starts in Wisconsin when milk becomes cheese and cheese curds are separated from liquid whey.
“We’ve seen a lot of diet fads come and go, but I think this protein fad has staying power,” Meister said.
Before protein became popular, farmers had to find ways to dispose of whey. Meister said they would spread it on their farm for fertilizer value, but it was also a burden to dispose of.
What was once disposable has become liquid gold for cheesemakers in Wisconsin. Meister said the demand is outstripping the supply right now.
Wisconsin cheesemakers and farmers are leading the movement as the country’s number one cheese producer and number one producer of the dry whey that goes into products people are craving.
“My grandpa and father would be impressed by how the industry has come to utilize all the value that comes in with the milk,” Meister said.