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American Dairy Association North East along with Wegmans Food Markets unveiled the 50th annual butter sculpture at the New York State Fairgrounds today. "Your Milk Comes From A Good Place" pays tribute to the state’s hard-working dairy farmers.

To illustrate just how quickly milk gets from the farm to the store, this year’s sculpture features a farmer transporting milk directly from his dairy farm to a consumer in the grocery aisle—a symbolic reminder that “Your Milk Comes From A Good Place” within 48 hours. The farm’s name, ‘Over The Moon Dairy Farm,’ is a tribute to the inaugural 1969 Butter Sculpture, which originally depicted a “Cow Jumping Over The Moon.”

“This 50th Anniversary year of the butter sculpture is a great way to remind consumers that dairy is local and responsibly produced by farmers who care about their cows, their land and their communities,” said Bret Bossard of Barbland Dairy in Fabius, N.Y. “When consumers buy milk and dairy products, they are supporting the state’s economy, as well as the 4,400 dairy farm families and 600,000 dairy cows that call New York home. Milk comes from a good place—your local dairy farm.”

In New York State, 99 percent of dairy farms are family owned and operated, and the state ranks third in the nation for milk production.

“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 join this long-standing tradition.”

The 800-pound sculpture was fashioned over a 10-day period by artists Jim Victor and Marie Pelton of Conshohocken, Pennsylvania.

Also attending today’s unveiling is Marsha Anderson Leonard, former 1969 New York State Dairy Princess. Leonard hailed from Chautauqua County and took part in the inaugural butter sculpture unveiling 50 years ago. “I was honored to serve as the New York State Dairy Princess in 1969,” she commented. “I’m thrilled to be here today to support our local dairy farmers. Our family farm continues to operate in Western New York.”

Fair goers can join in the 50th Anniversary fun by participating in the #UdderlyNY Instagram Contest while at the Fair. “Cow Jumping Over The Moon” 50th Anniversary logos are embedded in the sculpture. Visitors guess how many times the logo appears then submit their entry using #UdderlyNY and @AmericanDairyNE along with a photo in front of the butter sculpture. Prizes include a New York City Dairy Getaway, NFL VIP Experience to a Bills or Giants game, Fall Farm Retreat, and daily dairy gift cards. Visit AmericanDairy.com for contest rules and info.

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 in a methane digester to create electricity and liquid fertilizer for crops.

About American Dairy Association North East

The American Dairy Association North East is the local affiliate of the National Dairy Council® and the regional consolidation of three promotion organizations including the American Dairy Association and Dairy Council, Inc., Mid-Atlantic Dairy Association and Pennsylvania Dairy Promotion Program. Committed to nutrition education and research-based communications, ADANE provides science-based nutrition information to, and in collaboration with, a variety of stakeholders committed to fostering a healthier nation, including health professionals, educators, school nutrition directors, academia, industry, consumers and media. Funded by dairy checkoff dollars from nearly 12,000 dairy farm families in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, and northern Virginia, ADANE works closely with Dairy Management Inc.™ to bring a fully integrated promotion program to the North East region. For more information, visit AmericanDairy.com