It all started three years ago, when the Tillamook County Creamery Association (the folks who make all that great cheese) sent a letter to the Tillamook County Smoker, a neighboring enterprise in the business of making beef jerky and sausage. This wasn't a friendly invitation to mingle products at a picnic. No, this was a "cease and desist" letter from the cheese guys telling the jerky guys to change their name. Or else.

The cheese guys argued that their product had become so associated with the word Tillamook that consumers might think they made the jerky, too.

The food fight finally came to an end earlier this month when a federal court ordered the local smoker to remove Tillamook Jerky from its website domain name and products.

Now, none of us at the Rogue desk has a law degree (yet), but we agree with the folks at Tillamook County Smoker, who think they're being jerked around. After all, they've been using the Tillamook moniker since 1975 because, well, the business is located in a city and county with the same name. And the milkmen haven't sued Tillamook City Hall for identity theft--yet.

"I could understand if there was a Mr. Tillamook who started the business," says Bob Crossley, marketing director for the jerky boys.

But the cheese whizzes defend their right to fight for the exclusive use of the name. "That's why a trademark is in place," says Christie Lincoln, communications coordinator for the creamery, "to prevent customer confusion."

Some locals suspect there's another reason that the forces of curds and whey were so eager to strip Tillamook off the jerky label. Is it possible the cheese maker is eyeing the growing smoked-meat market?

"It's entirely conceivable" notes Crossley. "The possibilities are endless now that they own the copyright; they could make [Tillamook] diapers if they wanted to."