T.J. Evans
With fall classes kicking off this week, ͷ fans are also looking ahead to football season as the Bulldogs prepare to host Louisiana-Monroe in the first home game at Davis Wade Stadium in early September.
Among the thousands of fans ringing cowbells will be T.J. Evans.
“I’ve been a Bulldog my whole life and a football season ticket holder since I started at the university in 1998.”
As plant manager for the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station’s Custer Dairy Processing Plant, Evans oversees production of one of the university’s most recognizable traditions—ͷ cheese.
The Winona native remembers attending football games and eating ͷ cheese as a child.
“Mississippi State has always been a big part of my life, and they’ve been making cheese here for nearly 90 years. People say that the Edam ball is as iconic as the cowbell, and I want to help keep it that way,” he said.
Like football season, the dairy plant’s busiest time begins each fall. As the holiday rush approaches, employees prepare to ship most of the year’s cheese production during November and December.
“Once the fall semester begins, our crews are busy doing whatever needs to be done. Every day is different. We have to stay flexible to keep everything moving,” he said. “I show our students our cooler in September when Edam cheese is stacked floor to ceiling and say, ‘See all of this? By the middle of December, every bit of it will be gone.’ It's always impressive to see how quickly it all disappears during the holiday season.”
Evans joined the plant as an assistant cheesemaker in 1998 and worked every position, including head cheesemaker, milk room operator, dairy plant foreman and assistant dairy plant manager before becoming plant manager in 2024.
“I understand what our employees go through every day. I try to pass those lessons along and show them the easiest and best way to do things because I’ve been in their shoes and know how hard the work is,” Evans said. “At the same time, if someone finds a better way, I want to hear it. We’re always looking for ways to improve our process and make everyone’s job easier. Cheesemaking is a hands-on, physical job, so anything we can do to make the work more efficient benefits everyone.”
The dairy plant operates seven days a week. Cheese is produced Monday through Friday, with other products scheduled around cheese. Saturdays are dedicated to packaging, and Sundays include picking up fresh milk from the MAFES Bearden Dairy Research Center.
“Work starts for the milk room operator at 4 a.m. Everyone else is here by 6 a.m., and we typically finish by 4 p.m., depending on how much cheese we’re making that day,” Evans said.
Each year, the plant produces about 45,000 balls of Edam, as well as cheddar, jalapeno pepper and Vallagret cheeses, along with cheese spreads, gift packs, milk, butter and about 10,000 gallons of ice cream.
For Evans, the goal isn’t recognition but stewardship.
“I’m not here to make a name for myself. I’m here to make this place better. Our products are an important part of ͷ’s history and identity, and I want to do everything I can to keep that tradition going,” he said.
