A partnership between the University of Idaho’s dairy operation and Deary-based Brush Creek Creamery has yielded significant national recognition, with the creamery’s labneh cheese winning a blue ribbon at the Good Food Awards—a competition often described as the Oscars of the food and beverage industry.
Brush Creek Creamery’s labneh, a tangy and creamy cheese produced by straining whey from yogurt, competed against roughly 1,200 entries at the prestigious awards ceremony held in New York on June 28. The victory underscores the quality of milk supplied by the U of I Dairy Center, which operates on the Moscow campus and has been a critical supplier to the creamery for eight years.
Building Excellence Through Partnership
Brian Salmeri, who leads operations at Brush Creek Creamery, emphasized the foundation of their success. “You have to start out with a good base, and a good base is good milk,” he said. “They’re providing exactly what I need. I’ve been working with U of I for eight years now, and it’s an amazing partnership. I would not exist without them.”
The U of I Dairy Center supplies approximately 164,000 pounds of milk monthly to Brush Creek, Ferdinand’s Ice Cream Shoppe, and Darigold. The dairy operates under the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences with a herd of 86 milking cows, 74 heifers, and 20 calves—a mix of Holsteins, Jerseys, and crosses. Recently, the dairy added Jersey cows to boost butterfat levels, a strategic move that enhances the quality of milk available to cheese producers.
The operation is staffed by seven students, one full-time milker, and one parlor manager, creating an educational opportunity for students pursuing agricultural careers while maintaining a productive facility.
Brush Creek’s Competitive Success
Brush Creek Creamery’s recent accolades extend beyond the Good Food Awards. The operation has won 12 American Cheese Society gold medals for labneh alone, with two additional gold medals awarded on July 8. The creamery also earned 15 awards from the Intermountain Milk Producers Association, including the grand champion designation.
Founded 25 years ago by Rebeccah Salmeri, who began making cheese in her kitchen, Brush Creek expanded to a century-old brick building in Deary in 2012, occupying 8,200 square feet of production space. Matthew and Avery Brandstadt joined the operation as cheesemakers in 2023, contributing to a growing team.
Brush Creek produces a diverse range of cheeses, including blue cheese, brie, feta, cheddar, smoked gouda, labneh, and Havarti. The operation purchases approximately 357,000 pounds of milk annually from the U of I Dairy Center and produces roughly 40,000 pounds of cheese per year. Finished products are aged in climate-controlled caves located in Greycliff, Montana, with aging periods ranging from 60 days to five years depending on the cheese variety.
What Comes Next
The success of Brush Creek Creamery reflects broader recognition of Idaho’s agricultural quality and the role university research and production facilities play in supporting local food producers. The U of I Dairy Center continues to serve as a supplier to multiple food businesses while providing hands-on training for students in dairy science and agricultural management. The partnership demonstrates how academic institutions can contribute directly to rural economic development and product excellence in the state.
For more on higher education in Idaho, see University of Idaho Launches Equine Education Initiative After Knowledge Gap Study and Five University of Idaho Students Join Elite Leadership Program as Second Cohort of Roth Scholars.