The 2022 New York State Fair has come and gone, but this year’s butter sculpture lives on. Watch how it goes from a work of art into electricity to power farms and homes.

From beginning to end, The American Dairy Association North East makes sure none of the 800-pound sculpture is wasted. The butter that comes from O-AT-KA Milk Products in Batavia is scrap, unsuitable for sale or consumption. After the fair is over, a second dairy farm recycles the artwork. Watch as the sculpture that took almost two weeks to complete is dismantled in less than a day.

Noblehurst Farms Recycles Butter

For the seventh year in a row, the 800 pounds of butter made its way to Noblehurst Farms in Livingston County, about 15 miles from where the butter originated, to be recycled into renewable energy and power the farm and homes in the community.

“We are honored to be recycling the New York State Fair Butter Sculpture for the seventh year in a row,” said dairy farmer Chris Noble of Noblehurst Farms and Craigs Creamery. “We will mix the butter sculpture with other food waste and convert it to energy over the course of about 28 days. That energy will be created into electricity which will power homes in the local community.”

National Recognition

Noblehurst Farms has been recognized nationally for achievements in sustainability and community partnerships to divert food waste from local landfills. The result of Noblehurst’s efforts has led to diverting 200 tons of food waste from local landfills on a weekly basis.

“Our awareness of the role that dairy farmers are playing in addressing the global food waste problem has definitely heightened,” said Noble. “We are hopeful that our innovative food waste reduction practices will bring additional value as New York State focuses on reducing methane and sequestering carbon in the coming years.”

This year’s sculpture, “Refuel Her Greatness – Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Title IX,” highlighted female athletes and how today’s athletes refuel with chocolate milk.

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