The New York State Fair’s renowned 55th Annual Butter Sculpture won’t just melt away after its tenure.
The 800-pound artwork, overseen by the American Dairy Association North East, was carefully disassembled and is destined to be repurposed into energy.
Produced by O-AT-KA Milk Products in Batavia, N.Y., this massive block of butter was deemed unsuitable for consumption. Noblehurst Farms in Pavilion, N.Y., less than 15 miles from its origination, will recycle this butter, blending it with other food residues.
Through their farm’s digester, this mix will be transformed into electricity, potent enough to power their farm, an in-house creamery, and 350 homes annually. Interestingly, the energy from the butter sculpture alone can light up a home for three days.
Jack Klapper, co-owner of Noblehurst Farms, voiced his pride in recycling the Butter Sculpture for the eighth consecutive year. The farm’s commitment to environmental solutions is evidenced by their recognized efforts in sustainability and their strategy of repurposing 200 tons of food waste weekly, preventing it from ending up in landfills. “Our aim is to shed light on dairy farmers’ pivotal role in countering global food waste issues,” Klapper commented, with hopes that their forward-thinking methods would support New York State’s environmental goals in the near future. This year’s sculpture symbolically emphasized dairy’s crucial nutritional contributions to human health.
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