MADISON, Wis. (AP) – Wisconsin is still the cheese capital of the nation.

Statistics released this week show that the Dairy State produced 219 million pounds of cheese in September. That was a 1 percent increase over its production in the same month last year.

Wisconsin’s September output accounted for one-fourth of the nation’s production. California was in second place with 181 million pounds. Idaho was a distant third with 70 million pounds.

Wisconsin leads the nation in production of Italian cheese, boosting its output 8 percent in September compared to September of last year. Its mozzarella production also rose 6 percent.

Those gains helped compensate for the state’s 17 percent drop in cheddar production, from about 49 million pounds to about 41 million pounds.

(© Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)