Wisconsin's Economy: Dairy, Paper, and Technology

Wisconsin's economy is more diverse than its dairyland image suggests — while cheese and milk production remain significant, manufacturing (especially paper and printing), technology, and financial services are dominant.

Dairy and Cheese
Wisconsin produces 25%+ of all US cheese — 3+ billion pounds per year. The state has 1,200+ licensed cheesemakers producing 600+ varieties, styles, and flavors. Major producers: Sargento (Plymouth), Kraft Heinz (multiple Wisconsin facilities), Land O'Lakes, Organic Valley (LaFarge — a farmer-owned cooperative, the largest organic cooperative in the world). The Wisconsin Cheese industry employs 70,000+ people. Per capita cheese consumption in Wisconsin is the highest in the US.

Paper Manufacturing
Wisconsin is the largest paper-producing state in the US — the Fox River valley (Appleton, Neenah, Menasha, Kimberly, Green Bay) is the "Paper Valley," home to Georgia-Pacific, Domtar, Appvion, and dozens of specialty paper producers. The industry traces to the late 19th century when immigrant labor and the abundant water power of the Fox River created ideal conditions.

Technology (Epic Systems)
Epic Systems (Verona, adjacent to Madison) is the world's largest electronic health records (EHR) company — Epic's software is used by 54% of US patients and by major health systems in 11+ countries. Epic employs 10,000+ people in Verona (with a campus designed like a theme park, with slides between floors). Epic's founder, Judy Faulkner, is one of the wealthiest self-made women in the US. The Madison area's technology sector (Exact Sciences, Exact Sciences, Sonic Foundry, and many startups) has grown significantly around Epic.

Financial Services
Northwestern Mutual (Milwaukee — one of the largest mutual life insurance companies in the US), Johnson Controls (Glendale — global leader in building efficiency), Fiserv (Brookfield — financial technology, processes 12,000 transactions per second globally), and ManpowerGroup (Milwaukee) are major Wisconsin financial and service corporations.