BOSTON, February 2016 — Cheese lovers everywhere are preparing to celebrate Raw Milk Cheese Appreciation Day on April 16, 2016. Created by the Oldways Cheese Coalition, this worldwide holiday offers cheese enthusiasts from Melbourne to Manhattan a chance to participate in events highlighting the distinctive cultural heritage of raw milk cheese.

Last year, Raw Milk Cheese Appreciation Day (RMCAD) included more than 500 retail locations around the globe providing samples and information about traditional cheeses. The Second Annual RMCAD is set to be another boon for raw milk cheese, especially in light of the US Food and Drug Administration’s recent decision to suspend testing requirements that posed a threat to raw milk cheese in the US.

“Raw milk, unpasteurized cheeses are truly the old ways, and this delicious, traditional food deserves attention,” said Sara Baer-Sinnott, Oldways president. “Raw Milk Cheese Appreciation Day introduces more people to the pleasures and great tastes of these extraordinary traditional cheeses, and celebrates the individuals who bring raw milk cheeses to life from the pasture to the plate.”

Cheese has been made with pure raw milk from its earliest days millennia ago. Traditional cheesemaking helped preserve fluid milk before the advent of refrigeration, and it was only in the last century that cheese began to be made with pasteurized milk. The natural microflora in raw milk produces cheeses — such as Gruyère AOP, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Roquefort, and many American originals like Grafton Village Cheddar — that are characteristic of local environments, expressive of terroir, evocative of complex flavors, and beneficial to health. Raw milk cheeses are both delicious and nutritious. Scientific studies reveal that, when consumed in moderation, cheese is an excellent way to add healthy fats, minerals, vitamins and probiotics to your diet.

Longtime aficionados and newcomers to the world of raw milk cheese will be able to experience a wide variety of events around the world, from tastings in Denver to special classes in São Paulo. Producers will offer cheese samples at retail stores in San Francisco, and cheesemongers will share their love of fromage au lait cru in Paris and Boston. All participating organizations, activities, and promotions for Raw Milk Cheese Appreciation Day will be listed on the Oldways Cheese Coalition website, oldwayscheese.org.

Retailers, restaurants, producers, and cheese enthusiasts are invited to participate by registering their own RMCAD events. To get involved with Raw Milk Cheese Appreciation Day, or learn more about joining the Cheese Coalition, please contact Carlos Yescas, Oldways Cheese Coalition program director, at cheese@oldwayspt.org, 617-896-4822.

Join in the cheese conversation and celebration on social media by using the hashtag #RawMilkCheese.

About Oldways and the Cheese Coalition
The Oldways Cheese Coalition supports the production of artisan, raw milk, and traditional cheeses with a focus on education, advocacy, consumer outreach, and community engagement. At a time when regulatory uncertainty threatens traditional production, the OCC’s mission is to provide the public and policymakers with accurate, science-based information to ensure these cheeses are enjoyed long into the future. Learn more at oldwayscheese.org.

Oldways is a nonprofit food and nutrition education organization, with a mission to guide people to good health through cultural food traditions and lifestyles, using practical and positive programs grounded in science. Learn more at oldwayspt.org.

Contact: media@oldwayspt.org.