American Dairy Association North East Recycled New York State Fair Butter Sculpture
November 6, 2026 | 3 min to read
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – American Dairy Association North East worked with Noblehurst Farms in Pavillion, N.Y., to recycle the butter 41st butter sculpture from the recent New York State Fair.
Along with Cornell Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners, ADA North East dismantled the sculpture that was created with 800-pounds of butter supplied by O-AT-KA® Milk Products in Batavia, N.Y.
Noblehurst Farms combined the butter with the other food waste from local grocery stores, cafeterias and manufacturers, along with manure, and process it with the farm’s digester, converting it into energy. The digester breaks down these materials and produces electricity annually to power the farm, its on-site creamery and more than 600 homes.
“We’re proud to give this butter a second life,” said Noblehurst Farms co-owner Jack Klapper. “It may have started as part of an 800-pound sculpture at the fair, but it will end up helping power homes and businesses right here in New York. It’s a great example of how dairy farms can turn what might otherwise be waste into something useful.”
Last year marked Noblehurst Farms’ 10th consecutive year recycling the butter sculpture. Over that decade, the farm has recycled 8,000 pounds – or four tons – of butter in their digester, which has created enough energy to power one home for about a month. In a typical year, however, the 800 pounds of butter can generate enough electricity to power one home for three to five days.
In recent years, Noblehurst Farms has been recognized nationally for achievements in sustainability and community partnerships to divert food waste from local landfills. When the farm started its food waste recycling program in 2015, it was recycling about 500 tons of food waste per month. Now, with the help of a new modern recycling system, Noblehurst Farms is recycling over 100 tons per day and has more than doubled its electricity production.
“Dairy farmers have always been resourceful, and this is a great example of that,” said Klapper. “Focusing on how we can be sustainable and being environmental stewards is very important to the team at Noblehurst Farms.”
This year’s sculpture, “Milk. Memories. Tradition. Rooted in New York.” celebrated America’s 250th anniversary through a New York lens. The sculpture told the story of America – New York Style – with images of baseball in Cooperstown, the legacy of America’s first state fair (held in Syracuse in 1841), summertime ice cream, the New York City skyline and fireworks illuminating the night.
About American Dairy Association North East
American Dairy Association North East (ADA North East) is the dairy farmer-funded organization funded by participating dairy farmer’s checkoff investment to build demand and sales for milk and dairy foods throughout the local region. Representing more than 7,400 dairy farm families in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and northern Virginia, ADA North East develops and implements local programs to drive milk and dairy sales at retail outlets and in schools. The organization also conducts consumer education about dairy through events, traditional and social media, and in collaboration with health professionals through National Dairy Council®. ADA North East works closely with Dairy Management Inc.™, the national dairy checkoff organization, to support nutrition research, national partnerships and developing export markets for dairy to bring a fully integrated promotion program to the region.