MOHAWK VALLEY LOCAL CHEESE BRANDS

A hundred years ago, and much more recently, the central Mohawk Valley was one of the major cheese-producing regions in the United States. Cheeses were made on local dairy farms, boxed with locally made wooden boxes, and sold to wholesalers for distribution across the U.S. Producers were required to register with the NYS Dept. of Agriculture, and "full milk cheeses" were marked with proprietary brands.

LIST OF STATE CHEESE BRANDS
ISSUED DURING THE YEAR ENDING DECEMBER 31, 1901,
BY COUNTIES

Source: Ninth Annual Report of the Commissioner of Agriculture. State of New York. In Assembly. No. 59, January 13, 1902.

New York State Agricultural Law, Laws of 1893, excerpt:
Section 23 of chapter 33 of the General Laws, under which these brands are issued provides as follows:

Section 33. Manufacturer's brand of cheese. - Every manufacturer of full milk cheese may put a brand upon each cheese indicating "full milk cheese," and the date of the month and year when made, and no person shall use such a brand upon any cheese made from milk from which any of the cream has been taken. The Commissioner of Agriculture shall procure and issue to the cheese manufacturers of the State, on proper application therefor, and undner such regulations as to the custody and use thereof as he may prescribe, a uniform stencil brand, bearing a suitable device or motto, and the words "New York State full cream cheese." Every such brand shall be used upon the outside of the cheese, and shall bear a different number for each separate factory. The commissioner shall keep a book in which shall be registered the name, location and number of each manufactory authorized to use the same. No such brand shall be used upon any other than full cream cheese or packages containing the same.

During the year full-cream cheese brands have been issued to the following factories:

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