Coals to Newcastle?

For the first time, an American cheesemaker is exporting cheese to Europe. Rogue Creamery of Central Point, Oregon, will ship raw milk cheeses abroad. It took a couple of years to push this through, an effort by the FDA, USDA, US Dairy Export Council, the American Cheese Society, and the Oregon Department of Agriculture.

"This is a monumental change in dairy for the U.S. for a raw milk American handmade cheese to be exported," says Rogue president and co-owner David Gremmels in a press release. The US government has created standards that now allow American cheesemakers to take advantage of markets in the EU, he says.

The creamery began shipping Rogue River Blue cheese to the famous Neal's Yard Dairy in London, and six blues to Whole Foods Market in London. Other retailers in Paris and Amsterdam will carry Rogue cheeses as well.

Oregon Department of Agriculture's Katy Coba says, "The owners of Rogue Creamery created the artisan movement in Oregon. They are the real reason why Oregon's artisan cheesemakers are so successful." The creamery was established in 1935 and has won many awards, including a London World Cheese Award for best blue cheese in 2003.

You have to wonder what the folks at Stilton are thinking. Their blue cheese has been made from local milk in Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire, and Derbyshire for 300 years.