SYRACUSE, N.Y. – “Dairy: Good for you. Good for the planet.” is the theme of American Dairy Association North East’s 56th Annual Butter Sculpture at the New York State Fair. This year’s butter sculpture, sponsored by Wegmans, highlights one of the many ways dairy farmers protect the planet while producing nutritious milk.
Millions of people enjoy local waterways every day – swimming, fishing, kayaking – but are unaware of the efforts made by dairy farmers to protect these precious resources. The butter sculpture depicts a family relaxing on the bank of a river on one side while showing a dairy farmer planting a tree on the other side. Every year, dairy farmers plant thousands of trees along rivers and streams that run through their farms to prevent soil erosion, improve water quality, and provide a natural habitat for wildlife.
Speaking at the unveiling, Mike McMahon of E-Z Acres Dairy farm in Homer, N.Y., said planting trees along waterways has a tremendous impact on water quality. About 30 percent of McMahon’s dairy farm, approximately 2,300 acres, lies within the Skaneateles Lake watershed, which provides drinking water to the greater Syracuse area of more than 220,000 people.
“Dairy farmers take protecting your drinking water seriously. On our farm alone, we have planted thousands of willow trees along the eight miles of streams that run through our property,” said McMahon. “Sustainability isn’t just a buzzword for us, we invest heavily in practices like these to create a healthy environment for our neighbors, our family and our cows.”
“We know dairy is good for your health, and with this sculpture, we want to emphasize that responsible dairy production is good for the environment,” said John Chrisman, CEO of American Dairy Association North East. “Our farmers work with specialists and environmental groups to adopt practices that protect waterways, recycle resources and reduce greenhouse gases to protect the planet.”
Richard A. Ball, New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets Commissioner noted, “Unveiling the butter sculpture is one of my favorite traditions at the fair and a wonderful way to honor our dairy farmers who work so hard to feed our families and bring healthy products to our communities every day. I’m very proud of the work our dairy farmers are doing to balance productive farming with environmental responsibility.”
“Wegmans is proud to sponsor this year’s butter sculpture, which is such an integral part of the New York State Fair,” said Evelyn Ingram, Director of Community Relations at Wegmans Food Markets. “We are delighted to once again be a participant in this long-standing tradition.”
This year’s sculpture includes a blue river which helps make the connection between consumer enjoyment and responsible dairy production. Artists Jim Victor and Marie Pelton of Conshohocken, Pa., constructed the sculpture over an 11-day period using more than 800 pounds of butter from O-AT-KA Milk Products in Western New York.
After the fair, the sculpture will be deconstructed, with assistance from the Cornell Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners, and transported to Noblehurst Farms in Linwood, N.Y., where it will be recycled into renewable energy.
Each month, Noblehurst Farms’ massive recycling program turns over 500 tons of food waste from supermarkets, universities and schools into enough energy to power the farm and more than 300 local homes in the community. The recycling program not only reduces the farm’s carbon footprint, it diverts food waste from landfills, reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Along with viewing the butter sculpture and enjoying some delicious dairy products, fairgoers can visit americandairy.com/nystatefair to learn more about dairy farmers’ efforts to protect the environment.
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.
