In 1965, Cheese & Dairy sued County Creamery, alleging accounting errors, such as being owed $1,782,655 in assets ($10,222,693 in 2025 dollars), $237,818 from cheese held and sold ($2,431,141), and $285,563 in debts ($2,919,223). (Credit: The Oregonian, 5.18.65) READ MORE
Category Archives: History by Topic
1961 Emergency Bill Stabilized the Price Paid to Milk Producers
In 1961, Oregon dairy farmers hurriedly put together a legislative bid because the price for their milk had suddenly dropped 19 percent. Three hundred farmers encouraged legislators to pay attention by gathering one evening in Salem. The Producer Milk Stabilization Law, passed by the legislature in only 2.5 weeks, directed the Oregon Department of Agriculture… READ MORE
Reasons Why a Declaratory Judgment Lawsuit Was Filed
At an Aug. 19, 1963 special board meeting, patrons of Red Clover Cheese Factory and Tillamook Cheese & Dairy Association heard an explanation of why the two factories were ready to file a declaratory judgment lawsuit against Tillamook County Creamery Association. READ MORE
Reasons to Cancel Marketing Agreement Listed by Cheese & Dairy
In a “Board Information” message, the Publicity Committee of Cheese & Dairy told its patrons why it was cancelling its marketing agreement with County Creamery. The nine reasons were the same reasons cited by Red Clover in its own notice of cancellation to County Creamery. The reasons included: loss of representation; unfair charges; lack of… READ MORE
County Creamery’s Bookkeeping Errors Noted by Cheese & Dairy
Cheese & Dairy’s board of directors hired an auditor and shared the results with the patrons in a Feb. 14, 1963 “Board Information” message. The auditors found numerous bookkeeping errors. Eight of the directors spent their own money to copy and mail the information. The entire letter is provided below. “February 14, 1963 To members… READ MORE
Confrontation at County Creamery Office
In late August 1963, two Red Clover Cheese Factory board members went to the Tillamook County Creamery Association’s office to retrieve their factory’s files. Bert Quick and Bass Tone were stopped by a guard and the association manager, Beale Dixon. TCCA, the marketing organization selling all of Tillamook’s cheese, including Red Clover’s, was storing each… READ MORE
Milk Cans
In 1952, cans of milk were photographed moving through the modern Tillamook Cheese Factory, the starting point of converting milk to cheese. The number on each can indicated the owner. By 1960, Tillamook Grade A dairy farmers – who supplied drinking milk – were eyeing the bulk tanks coming into use in the Willamette Valley.… READ MORE
Storage of Cheese in Main Factory
After the large factory was built north of Tillamook in 1949, cheese was stored and aged uniformly in refrigerated rooms. Some of the wheels of cheese were being stored because production outstripped sales. Credit: (top) Northwest Digital Heritage; (bottom) Tacoma Public Library, D67477-89, Richards Studio READ MORE
No Money, No Milk
Cheese & Dairy protested County Creamery’s lack of payment for July and August 1963 milk by declaring that no more milk would be sent until payment was made. “No Money — No Milk!!” was the Cheese & Dairy board’s defiant statement. Within days of receiving the notice, County Creamery credited more than $299,000 to Cheese… READ MORE
Large Cheese Produced for California Market
In an early example of successful marketing of its Premium Brand, Cheese & Dairy sold a 10,000-pound wheel of cheese to a California grocery store in 1964. From left: Vern Lucas, George Milne, Bass Tone, and store owners. In the small image, the completed cheese is crated for shipping, and Bass Tone and the co-owner… READ MORE
