Wisconsin dairy farms played an important role in shaping early Wisconsin history. This was in large part due to the fact that many of the enterprising dairy farmers who settled in southern Wisconsin in the 1840s and 1850s were New Yorkers. At the time, New York was the leading dairy producer in the nation, and they brought with them the skills needed for commercial dairying and butter and cheese production. Although it was more difficult to produce, most of the earliest dairy operations made cheese rather than butter because it kept longer.
Early Wisconsin dairy farms were also helped by the University of Wisconsin, which actively promoted the industry in the late 19th century through scientific research. The first professor of agriculture, William A. Henry, used the university's farm to experiment with new dairying methods. The university also promoted the use of cylindrical silos for storing feed for cattle during the winter. Professor Stephen Babcock developed the first test for butterfat content in milk, which allowed high-quality butter and cheeses to be manufactured consistently, and the university's College of Agriculture pioneered testing for bacteria, which led to practical methods of milk pasteurization.
In the 1870s, leaders of the growing Wisconsin cheese industry established several professional organizations to promote their product and to overcome farmer opposition to the cheese industry. The transition from wheat husbandman to herdsman had been difficult for many farmers, and the adjustment to the more regulated and confining routine of the factory supplier had proved especially trying. Among the most famous of the organizations was the Wisconsin Dairyman's Association, founded in Watertown in 1872. Though primarily a marketing association, the Dairyman's Association also provided education in new dairying methods through its publications and meetings.
Finally, the dairy industry was helped by the German and Scandinavian immigrant families who were quick to adopt dairying as a profitable way to farm. They also specialized in the European-style cheeses that appealed to consumers, and Wisconsin became known for its Swiss cheese. By 1915, Wisconsin had become the leading dairy state in the nation, producing more butter and cheese than any other state.
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