Why American Cheese Matters More Than Ever

If you’ve spent any time at our counter, you know this: we focus exclusively on American artisan cheese. That choice has always been intentional. But right now, it feels more important than ever.

In my 20+ years working in this industry — from restaurant kitchens to cheese counters to building Vaughan Cheese — I have never seen what I’ve seen in the last three years. Small farms are struggling. Some are quietly scaling back. Many are closing altogether. And more have disappeared in this short window than I saw in the previous two decades combined.

These are not just businesses. They are family farms. They are second and third generations waking up before dawn. They are producers who know their animals by name. They are makers who care deeply about the craft of transforming milk into something expressive, seasonal, and alive.

American artisan cheese represents more than flavor. It represents land stewardship. It represents rural economies. It represents food systems that are human-scale and transparent. It represents people choosing to do something difficult and meaningful rather than easy and industrial.

When you buy a wedge of cheese from a small American producer, you are participating in that system. You are helping keep milk in the hands of independent farmers rather than consolidators. You are supporting grazing practices that respect the land. You are helping ensure that the next generation sees a future in farming.

This isn’t about patriotism or trend cycles. It’s about preservation.

We taste everything that comes into our case. We build meaningful relationships directly with farms. We choose producers not just for quality, but for integrity. And we continue to center American cheese because we believe it deserves celebration — and because the people behind it deserve support.

The reality is simple: if we don’t actively choose small farms, they disappear.

At Vaughan Cheese, every board built, every wedge wrapped, every festival pop-up, every farmer's market is an opportunity to amplify these makers. It’s a small act. But small acts, done consistently, are how communities sustain themselves.

American cheese matters because the people behind it matter.

And right now, they need us more than ever.