Construction of 56th Annual Butter Sculpture is Underway
SYRACUSE, N.Y. – More than 800 pounds of butter has arrived at the New York State Fairgrounds in Syracuse, N.Y., as construction of one of Central New York’s best-kept secrets and most beloved attractions gets underway – the 56th Annual American Dairy Association North East Butter Sculpture, sponsored by Wegmans.
Over the weekend, sculptors Jim Victor and Marie Pelton from Conshohocken, Pa., unloaded their tools and began creating the annual sculpture. Prior to arriving at the fairgrounds, the duo spent many hours working off-site to build wooden and steel frames called armatures that support the weight of the butter. Over the course of 11 days on the fairgrounds, Victor and Pelton will mold, carve and spread the butter into a work of art.
“Every year, the iconic butter sculpture puts the spotlight on New York’s amazing dairy industry,” says John Chrisman, CEO American Dairy Association North East. “This work of art pays tribute to the state’s hardworking dairy farmers who work every single day to responsibly produce nutrient-rich milk, an excellent source of vitamins and minerals.”
The butter used for the sculpture comes from O-AT-KA Mik Products in Batavia, N.Y., and is out of specification for retail sale for a variety of reasons, so American Dairy Association North East works with the sculptors to put it to good use by creating a beautiful piece of art.
Following its 13-day stint at the fair, the butter will return to Western New York where it will be recycled into renewable energy at Noblehurst Farms, a dairy farm in Pavilion, N.Y. Noblehurst Farm’s vast recycling program turns more than 500 tons of food waste from supermarkets, universities and schools each month into enough energy to power the farm and over 300 local homes. The recycling program not only reduces the farm’s carbon footprint, it also diverts all of that food waste from landfills, reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Last year’s butter sculpture was “Dairy Every Day is a Healthy Way — Keeping Kids’ Health on Track” and highlighted the important nutritional role dairy foods play in helping brains, bones and bodies grow.
American Dairy Association North East will unveil the 56th Annual Butter Sculpture to the media and live on its Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/AmericanDairyNE/ on Tuesday, August 20, the day before the fair officially opens. It will then be on display in the Dairy Products Building for the duration of the fair.
For more information, contact American Dairy Association North East at 315.472.9143.
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 8,300 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. For more information, visit www.AmericanDairy.com.
