SCOTT SIMON, HOST:
In these polarized times, it's hard to get politicians to agree on infrastructure spending or tax bills. How are Wisconsin legislators going to agree on a state cheese? Bill has been reintroduced to make Colby the official state cheese. It was developed in the city of Colby, near Wausau, a town which, whatever its charms, does not sound like a promising name for cheese. Bills to make Colby the state cheese have been regularly introduced since 1997. They tend to pass the Wisconsin assembly, then get shredded in the state Senate. Does this sound familiar?
Representative Rick Gundrum of Slinger says, I just have an issue making one cheese the state cheese. We have a wide variety of Swiss, Gouda, smoked Gouda, Havarti, provolone, Limburger, Asiago. And string cheese also have their advocates. Maybe a slogan would put Colby finally over the top. Like, Colby - it only looks like cheddar. Or, Colby - 45 million pounds a year can't be wrong.
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