Western New York Farm Wins Sustainability Award

News from the American Dairy Association and Dairy Council:

Seen holding the award is Chris Noble with his wife Jennifer, family members Rob and Terri Noble (far left), and Sustainability Award host Phil Lempert

The Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy has recognized Noblehurst Farms Inc. in Linwood, Livingston County, with an award for Outstanding Achievement in Community Partnerships as part of the organization’s fifth annual U.S. Dairy Sustainability Awards. 

The awards program recognizes dairy farms, businesses and partnerships whose sustainable practices positively impact the health and well-being of consumers, communities, animals and the environment.

Noblehurst Farms was recognized with the community partnership award for its food waste cooperative, which was created by Chris Noble. Noble represents the seventh generation of leadership at Noblehurst Farms, where he holds the title of vice president. 

Noble had the vision to do the right thing with food waste by getting it out of landfills and back into the system. Through the cooperative, food waste and scraps from Wegmans Food Markets stores, as well as universities and schools, are gathered and delivered to a digester at the dairy farm that harvests methane gas from the food scraps and manure to create electricity, liquid fertilizer for crops, and dry materials that can be used for animal bedding. 

The collaborative effort not only keeps tons of food waste out of landfills, but also provides enough energy to power the entire dairy. 

“We started collecting food waste from six Wegmans grocery stores a little more than two years ago,” Noble said. “While Wegmans does a simply phenomenal job with its food donation program, in the end, there’s still food that can’t be eaten by people – things like melon rinds or orange peels. That’s where we come in.

"Currently we’re taking in food waste from more than 30 Wegmans stores throughout Western and Central Through its food scraps collection affiliate Natural Upcyling, Noblehurst Farms and its food waste recycling partners divert 500 tons of waste from local landfills per month, eliminating 409 tons of carbon dioxide emissions, the equivalent of taking 1,046 cars off the road.

“We truly value our partnership with Noblehurst and all the benefits it offers to everyone involved and throughout the community," said Jason Wadsworth, Wegmans sustainability manager. "The process is easier, safer and more efficient for our people, it reduces carbon emissions generated by landfills, helps farmers in our community achieve their sustainability goals, and creates a whole new business model for farmers and food waste haulers, adding jobs to our region."

“This is the very definition of sustainability and a project that the whole community can feel good about,” Wadsworth said.

“This year’s honorees have truly integrated sustainability into their businesses to achieve not only economic success, but also to support the well-being of their communities and our planet,” said Barbara O’Brien, president of the Innovation Center. “Their achievements throughout the value chain, both large and small,
significantly advance the dairy community’s leadership in sustainable business practices.”

For more information about Noblehurst Farms, visit www.linwoodag.com/noblehurst.html. 

To learn more about the U.S. Dairy Sustainability Awards, the winners and the best practices in place at their operations, The Innovation Center, established under the leadership of dairy farmers, aligns the collective resources of the industry to offer consumers nutritious dairy products and ingredients, and promote the health of people, communities, the planet and the industry.

American Dairy Association North East promotes dairy and its nutritional benefits to 50 million consumers within a six-state region including New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, the District of Columbia and four counties in northern Virginia. 

Established in March 2016, through the consolidation of
American Dairy Association and Dairy Council Inc., Mid-Atlantic Dairy Association and Pennsylvania Dairy Promotion Program, the organization represents the collective power of more than 13,500 dairy farm families to market their products in an increasingly competitive marketplace.

'Dairying for Tomorrow' Award Launched

FRom the American Dairy Association and Dairy Council:

To recognize local dairy farmers and showcase the unique on-farm practices to help sustain the dairy industry well into the future, the American Dairy Association and Dairy Council is launching the "Dairying for Tomorrow Award".
"The award is set-up to highlight local dairy farm families who display a passion for dairying and have a unique practice that will help lead their dairy into the future," said Beth Meyer, vice president of industry relations for association. 

"We want to share with consumers the many things dairy farmers do to care for their animals, their natural resources and the communities in which they live," Meyer added. 

The award is broken into three categories: animal care, community/consumer outreach, and environmental stewardship.
The award will recognize one winner in each of the three categories within these five different regions: Central New York, Western New York, Eastern New York, Northern New York, and Northeastern Pennsylvania/Northern New Jersey. 

Three overall winners in each category will be selected and awarded at the New York State Fair Dairy Day breakfast. They will receive a cash prize, along with the production of a farm video and photo shoot that highlights the farm. 

Award applications are being accepted through May 31st.

The application is simple and easily accessed online. All dairy farmers are encouraged to take just a few minutes to share all the great things they are doing on their farms. 

 

To apply, visit the American Dairy Association and Dairy Council at adadc.com http://www.adadc.com  

 

For more information, contact Emma Andrew at 315-472-9143 or eandrew@adadc.com

Columbia County Teen Named New York Dairy Princess

Emily Ooms, NYS Dairy Princess

Emily Ooms, of Columbia County, was named New York State Dairy Princess Tuesday night.

Selected as first alternate was Jill DeBlock of Orange County, while April Gokey of Franklin County was named second alternate.

Miss Ooms, 17, is a senior at Chatham High School and the daughter of Timothy and Kristine Ooms. She is a member of 4-H, the Holstein Club, Junior Dairy Leaders and the National Honor Society.

The New York State Dairy Princess contest concluded Tuesday with the crowning after a two days of judging at the Holiday Inn in Salina, north of Syracuse. 

Jill DeBlock, first alternate

The girls in the competition — who already have won their county dairy princess contests — take tests to judge their dairy knowledge and writing skills, go through intensive interviews with the three judges, give both impromptu and prepared speeches and also are judged on their informal interaction with others.
 
Judges evaluate contestants on communication skills, knowledge of the dairy industry, poise and personality.

Miss Ooms, Miss DeBlock and Miss Gokey were winners of the speech contest and Miss DeBlock and Miss Gokey were winners for product knowledge. Winners for written communication were Jessica Skellie of Wayne County, Katie Bower of Cayuga County and Stephanie Treadwell of Herkimer County.

April Gokey, second alternate

About 30 teens competed for the title. Miss Ooms will serve as New York State Dairy Princess for one year and will promote dairy farmers and dairy products throughout the state in schools, industries, companies and at special events.

The big event for the dairy princess each year is the New York State Fair in Geddes, west of Syracuse. She and other county dairy princesses man the dairy princess booth inside the Dairy Products building and make special appearances throughout Dairy Day on the first Monday of the fair.

The new princess takes over for Stephanie McBath of Saratoga County, who was New York State Dairy Princess for 2015-16.

New State Dairy Princess to be Selected Tuesday Night

A new dairy princess for New York state will be chosen Tuesday.

The 53rd New York State Dairy Princess Pageant will be going on all day Monday and Tuesday at the Holiday Inn on Electronics Parkway in Salina. County dairy princesses from throughout New York state are vying for the top award.

McBath

Beth Meyer, speaking for the American Dairy Association and Dairy Council, said all contestants have promoted milk and dairy products as county dairy princesses at the local level since they were crowned last summer and fall.
They are judged in a variety of categories, including performance on a written communications test, product knowledge test, prepared adult speech, impromptu questions, and informal interaction with others.
One state princess and two alternates will be selected. They will represent New York’s dairy farmers throughout the next year at promotions, interviews and other events such as the New York State Fair.
The new princess should be crowned about 10 p.m. Check back here later on for the latest news.

The outgoing state dairy princess is Stephanie McBath of Saratoga County.

Take a Selfie at the Butter Sculpture; Help Needy Families Get Milk

There are two days left to the Great New York State Fair.

Remember, if you take a selfie in front of the butter sculpture while holding your ice cold milk from the Rainbow Milk Bar, you will help make a donation to area food banks so needy families can get milk to serve at home.

Go to http://www.adadc.com/sports-nutrition.html for more information.

It's Dairy Day at the New York State Fair

Thank a cow and a dairy farmer today.

Here are today's dairy events at the fair:

       o   9 a.m.:  Dairy Day awards breakfast in the Empire Room.

o   10:30 a.m.: Celebrity Milkshake Contest, Chevy Court Pavilion.  Members of the press show off their skill at making a unique milkshake flavor while trying to beat the clock. 

o   11 a.m.: The Big Cheese auction.  Cheese in blocks small, large, and gigantic are auctioned off at the Chevy Court Pavilion.  Free samples available while you bid!

o   6 p.m.:  Dairy Day goes to the State Fair Daily Parade.  Dairy princesses, milk trucks, and lots of streetside giveaways highlight this edition of the parade around Chevy Court.

                o   All day:  Cheese sculptor Sarah Kaufmann will carve cheddar into unique sculptures in the Dairy Products Building.

2015 Butter Sculpture Unveiled at the New York State Fair

"Thanks for the Milk, Moo York," the 2015 New York State Fair butter sculpture

You can call this “Great American Milk Drive – Part Two.”

This year’s New York State Fair butter sculpture was unveiled Wednesday morning and it is a thank you for everyone throughout New York who has donated milk to needy families through the Great American Milk Drive.

The sculpture is called “Thanks for the Milk, Moo York.” The 2014 State Fair sculpture kicked off the Great American Milk Drive, which resulted in more than 22,000 gallons of milk being donated in the state.

Made of 800 pounds of unsalted butter from O-At-Ka Milk in Batavia, the sculpture shows a dairy farmer, milk processor and retailer each holding gallons of milk. There also are key New York state elements behind them, such as Niagara Falls, the Statue of Liberty and the Carrier Dome.

The sculpture is one of the most popular sites to visit during the 12-day New York State Fair. It is in the Dairy Products Building at the New York State Fairgrounds in Geddes.

The fair opens Thursday, Aug. 27 and goes through Labor Day, Sept. 7. This is the 47th annual butter sculpture at the state fair.

“We live in one of the top producing milk states in the country, yet many families aren’t getting the nutritious, wholesome milk they want to provide for their children,” said dairy farmer Sarah Noble-Moag, of Pavilion. “The Great American Milk Drive helps draw attention to that need and makes it easy for people to donate, both in store and on line,” she said.

This is the 13th year artists Jim Victor and Marie Pelton, of Conshohocken, Pa., have worked on the sculpture. This is probably the tallest sculpture they have done, since the top of one of the milk bottles in the piece is only about a quarter inch from the top of the butter sculpture’s refrigerated room.

“It’s 77 inches high,” Ms. Pelton said. "In 2012, the sculpture about Greek yogurt during the summer of the Olympics was 2 inches below the grate.”

As part of the Great American Milk Drive and thanking people for their previous donations, the American Dairy Association and Dairy Council, which sponsors the butter sculpture, also is asking people to donate extra quarters when they buy their cup of milk at the fair’s Rainbow Milk Bar.

The additional donations will go toward purchasing milk for food banks and food pantries so needy families can obtain milk. The Rainbow Milk Bar also is in the Dairy Products Building and serves delicious, cold glasses of white or chocolate milk for 25 cents.

The Dairy Association and Dairy Council also is conducting an Instagram Selfie Contest to help spread the word about the need for milk donations. Take a selfie in front of the butter sculpture with your cup of milk from the Rainbow Milk Bar and tag it “givemilktoo.”

Each day of the fair, one winner will be selected to receive a $50 gift card for dairy products and a $50 donation will be made to a local food bank to help it purchase milk.

One second prize winter will win an Apple Watch. And one grand prize winner will receive an Ultimate Buffalo Bills Fan Weekend package, including access to pre-game practice, an overnight hotel stay in Buffalo and four club tickets to watch the Bills take on the Houston Texans.

Go to www.adadc.com for more contest information.

Donate at Rainbow Milk Bar at the Fair to Provide Milk to Needy Families

 

From the New York State Fair:

For thousands of fairgoers, the annual trip to the Great New York State Fair isn’t complete without a stop at The Rainbow Milk Bar for a cup of 25-cent, ice-cold white or chocolate milk.  

Now, fairgoers can donate their spare change to the Great American Milk Drive and help ensure more families can get milk year-round, said Rick Naczi, chief executive officer of the  American Dairy Association and Dairy Council and State Fair Acting Director Troy Waffner. 

Through The Great American Milk Drive, dairy farmers and milk processors, in partnership with Feeding America, are helping to give much needed nutrient-rich milk to millions of hungry families through area food pantries and food banks.  

There is a nationwide shortage because milk is rarely donated.  

“Milk is one of the most highly requested items at food banks throughout the country,” Naczi said. “To help provide more milk to families who depend on these facilities, we are asking fairgoers to donate a quarter for every cup of milk they purchase. We’re calling this campaign “Get One, and Give One Too.” If just a fraction of the people that visit the Milk Bar donate, we’d raise $22,000 and that would buy a lot of milk.”

Donations to support the Great American Milk Drive will be accepted at every milk station at The Rainbow Milk Bar. All proceeds will be earmarked for milk purchases and distributed to food banks throughout New York. 

“The Rainbow Milk Bar is one of the fair’s most popular exhibits, and it’s become a tradition for families to stop by and get a cup of ice-cold milk," said Waffner. "It promotes the health benefits of milk and supports our dairy farmers. Now, Fairgoers can use their love of dairy to give back, and help get fresh, nutritious milk to other families in their communities.”

Price Chopper To Match "Great American MIlk Drive" Donations at its Stores

The Great American Milk Drive comes to Price Chopper supermarkets this week with a special event planned for today (June 16).

State Agriculture Commissioner Richard Ball is visiting the Price Chopper on Altamont Avenue in Schenectady to publicize the milk drive campaign. 

At Price Chopper's 135 stores, tear pads for $2 and/or $4 donation are available on the dairy cases adjacent to the milk. Shoppers can bring a tear page to the checkout to make a donation. Donations benefit the Feeding America Food Banks so low-income people can obtain milk when they visit area food banks.

Price Chopper will match all donations made at its stores up to $10,000.

More than 22 million children may miss out on milk’s nutrition in the summer months when schools are closed and they lose access to free or reduced-price meal programs. This summer, America’s dairy farmers and milk companies are on a mission to bring more fresh, nutritious milk to children in need.

U.S Dairy Farmers Share Stories with Southeast Asia

Great blog post.

Read it here at http://blog.usdec.org/usdairyexporter/u.s.-dairy-farmers-share-illustrated-stories-with-buyers-in-southeast-asia

Apply by April 1 for DairyFAN

Next week (April 1) is the deadline to apply for the Dairy Food Advocate Network program.

Go to http://fluidsurveys.com/surveys/kerryb-rg3/2015-adadc-dairyfan-application/ to sign up and find out more about the program. 

According to the website, "DairyFAN is a year-long social media advocacy program designed for college students and young professionals who are interested in engaging in the growing public dialogue about our farms and our food."

Saratoga County Dairy Princess Named State Dairy Princess

Stephanie McBath, NYS Dairy Princess

Stephanie McBath, the Saratoga County dairy princess, was named the New York State Dairy Princess for 2015-16 Tuesday night.

Courtney Dearnley

McBath, 17, a senior at Schuylerville High School, will serve as the primary spokesperson for the dairy industry throughout the state for the next year. She was chosen after a two-day event in which 22 county dairy princesses competed.

Victoria Treadwell

The girls took tests to judge their dairy knowledge and writing skills, had intensive interviews with the three judges, had to given both impromptu and prepared speeches and also were judged on their informal interaction with others. Judges evaluate contestants on communication skills, knowledge of the dairy industry, poise and personality.

The first alternate state princess is Victoria Treadwell, 19, of Herkimer County, a freshman at Mohawk Valley Community College. The second alternate is Courtney Dearnley, 17, of Columbia County, a senior at Taconic Hills High School.

The top seven in the pageant were McBath, Treadwell, Dearnley, Franklin County Princess Errolynn Bradley, Cayuga County Princess Taylor Gilbert, Cortland County Princess Courtney Randall and Ontario County Princess Samantha Wheeler.

Miss Congeniality was Samantha Wheeler of Ontario County. 

Jefferson County's Casey Porter to Crown New State Dairy Princess

Here is my story from the Watertown Daily Times on the current state dairy princess who will crown the next princess on Tuesday night:

Casey Porter knew she was making a difference in the dairy world after an encounter with a father and son at the Jefferson County Fair.

“This father and son were looking at our calves at the fair,” Miss Porter reminisced. “The father told the little boy, ‘We need to have one of these for our home because then we could have fresh milk anytime we want.’”

Casey Porter before being crowned state princess

Miss Porter explained to the man that calves don’t give milk — cows must be grown and give birth to a calf of their own before they will give milk, the same as a woman who provides milk to a newborn baby.

“Oh, I didn’t realize that,” the man said.

In the past year, Miss Porter, 18, of the town of Rodman, has answered many queries and had a number of exchanges like this one in her role as New York state dairy princess. She has traveled the state from corner to corner representing the dairy industry since last February and will relinquish her crown Tuesday when a new state dairy princess is named at the Holiday Inn in Salina, north of Syracuse.

“My job has been to educate people on what really goes on in the dairy industry,” she said.

Miss Porter is the fourth generation of Porters on Porterdale Farms, which is run today by her father Gregory and his cousin Stephen Porter. They milk 1,850 cows, raise young stock and plant and grow corn and hay for animal feed.

Miss Porter is a freshman at Cornell University, Ithaca, majoring in animal science with a focus on dairy. She hopes someday to run Porterdale Farms.

Her days as princess are winding down, but she has fond memories of all she’s done over the past year.

“It’s been an amazing experience,” she said. “I met so many wonderful farm families and loved talking to people about dairy.”

Beth Meyer and Dawn Houppert, vice president of communications and program coordinator, respectively, for the American Dairy Association and Dairy Council, have worked with Miss Porter throughout her year as dairy princess. They have been impressed with her poise, knowledge and willingness to talk to people during her appearances.

“She is a very easy girl to have around,” Ms. Houppert said. “She is pleasant and is not at all shy talking to people.”

“She has gained more confidence through the course of the year,” Mrs. Meyer said. “One of the things I love about Casey is she is smart, very talented and just really a neat kid. She is a wonderful, sweet, young girl.”

The American Dairy Association and Dairy Council sponsors the dairy princess contests in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

Some of the places Miss Porter has made appearances during the year include all of the New York county dairy princess contests, the state pageants in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, a number of Fuel Up to Play 60 events, product demonstrations at various grocery stores, Empire Farm Days in Seneca Falls and of course, the New York State Fair.

“Dairy Day (at the state fair) was incredible,” Miss Porter said. “We (she and other county dairy princesses) were going from 6 in the morning on.”

On Dairy Day (always the first Monday of the state fair), the state princess does numerous television, radio and newspaper interviews, helps judge the Celebrity Milkshake Making Contest, works in the dairy products building handing out dairy items and is a team member during the cow milking contest in the afternoon.

She especially enjoyed her day at the Buffalo Bills Fieldhouse in Orchard Park for a Fuel Up to Play 60 event, a program begun by the National Dairy Council and National Football League to empower children to eat good foods to supply them with the fuel they need to play or exercise for at least 60 minutes a day. Bills player C.J. Spiller was on hand for the Buffalo event.

“I worked with a local farmer to talk to students about farming and how he cares for his animals,” Miss Porter said. “There were about 150 to 200 fourth through eighth graders there.”

She was accompanied to Buffalo by her mother, Lisa, a huge Buffalo Bills fan. Miss Porter said even with all the chores at the farm, her mom “cleared her schedule” so she could go to this event.

In all, Miss Porter couldn’t recall any strange or unusual questions she’s been asked in the past year. 

“As a whole, a lot of what I think is common knowledge really isn’t’ she said. “For me, being able to represent New York state’s dairy farmers — the hardest working group of people there is — has been an honor. I tried to put the dairy industry into the most positive light possible.”

And thinking ahead to her coming years running a Jefferson County dairy farm, she said her year as state dairy princess has trained her well.

“I am going to promote dairy for the rest of my life,” she said.

How to Make the Perfect Milkshake

From the American Dairy Association and Dairy Council:

Dairy Day Filled with Fun, Real-Life Heartache

By Debra J. Groom

It was all about dairy on Monday for Dairy Day at the Great New York State Fair.

Here’s the lo-down on what happened.

Cow is sutured after a C-section in the Dairy Cow Birthing Center

Dairy Drama

The only way any dairy product makes its way to our plates, bowls or cups is with the birth of a calf.

Once a dairy calf is born, the mother cow begins producing milk which the farmer collects, sells to processors and then it is made into yummy fluid milk, ice cream, all sorts of cheeses, sour cream, cream, butter and yogurt.

Fairgoers – for the second straight year – get the chance to witness this “udder miracle” of birth each day at the Dairy Cow Birthing Center. Put on by the New York Animal Agriculture Coalition and its director Jessica Ziehm, three calves are born each day at the fair.

But on Dairy Day, things were different. Fairgoers not only got to witness birth, but they got to see the real nitty-gritty of farm life. They got to see that sometimes, things don’t go well.

A 5-year-old Holstein from Walnut Ridge Dairy in Lansing, Tompkins County, went into labor about 8 a.m. Most expected her calf to be born about noon or a little after.

Another cow gave birth about 11 a.m. – a little bull. The Dairy Cow Birthing Center was packed with more than 600 people anxiously awaiting the second birth.

But something was wrong. Steve Palladino, a partner on the Lansing farm, said the labor wasn’t progressing normally. Veterinarians from Cornell University who are working the fair came in to check her out.

Donning their long plastic sleeves, they pushed their arms deep inside the cow’s vagina and uterus. Their diagnosis – there might be two calves (which is rare), the calf or calves are in the wrong position to be born or the calf or calves may be stillborn.

The vets tried to get the calf or calves out the normal way, but it didn’t work. They believed the calf or calves were deformed.

A C-section had to be performed right there, right in the Dairy Cow Birthing Center.

“This is Steve’s cow and he cares very much about all his animals,” Ziehm told the crowd. “This is the best move for the cow.”

Little bull calf born earlier on Monday

The fairgoers were told this would be a bit messy and traumatic and they should decide whether they want to stay for the operation. “Sometimes what happens on the farm doesn’t smell good and doesn’t look good,” Ziehm said. “But unfortunately, sometimes things go wrong when you’re dealing with life.”

The vets gave the cow a local anesthetic, shaved the area where the incision could be made, cleaned the area numerous times, and then made the cut on her left side. This side faced away from all fairgoers but is the normal side for a C-section incision, Palladino said.

When the vet finally cut through to the uterus, he and everyone else still wasn’t sure what he would find. He pulled out one calf – it was deformed and stillborn. There wasn’t a second calf.

A collective “awwwwww” moved through the barn.

The cow was stitched up and will be fine. She will undergo a series of antibiotics to cut down on the chances of infection.

Ziehm, who grew up on a dairy farm and married a dairy farmer, said she had never seen a C-section on a cow. It is quite rare.

“This was not ideal,” Ziehm said. But she said it was important to go ahead with the C-section right there in front of the public to “enhance the transparency” of what farmers do to care for their animals. She said they didn’t want it to be secretive so the public would wonder what they are doing to the cow.

“This is real life and everything we’re doing is for the health of this cow,” Ziehm said during the C-section. “This is as transparent as it’s going to get.”

This was the cow's third calf. Palladino said she will be able to have another calf in the future.

Frank Adamski, right, of the Dairy Products Building Task Force, holds a block of cheese for auctioneer Bill Magee, left.

Do I hear $25?

Assemblyman William Magee, D-Nelson, Madison County, was back at the State Fair again in his role as auctioneer during the annual Cheese Auction. Bricks of sharp New York state cheddar – ranging in size from 2 pounds to 40 pounds – are sold to raise money for the Dairy Products Building.   

He auctioned off 22 bricks of cheese and four baskets filled with various cheeses from New York producers such as Kraft, Yancey’s Fancy, Heluva Good, Great Lakes Cheese, Macadam, Colosse, Herkimer Cheese and Sorrento.

Magee, who is chair of the state Assembly Agriculture committee, also works as an auctioneer.

Yogurt Bar a hit

A yogurt parfait with strawberries and blueberries

People were lined up throughout the day to get a parfait made of regular or Greek yogurt at the new YO2GO yogurt bar in the Dairy Products Building.

Gary Repko, who was running the bar, said business has picked up each day of the fair. As of about noon Monday, he estimated the bar had sold 4,500 pounds of regular and Greek yogurt.

“I’ve been surprised, we’re selling more Greek,” he said, noting it’s about 60-40 on Greek to regular yogurt sales.

Fairgoers can buy either type of yogurt which is served in a parfait cup and then have it covered with a variety of toppings. The yogurt is about as fresh as it can get – it’s made at Cornell University in its own processing plant with milk from its own herd of dairy cattle.

Melissa Midgley and Teddy Boileau of The Dinosaur 95.3 and 103.9 radio in Syracuse and Otsego County Dairy Princess Sandy Mravlja work on their milkshake during the celebrity milkshake contest. Their special ingredient was coffee.

If that news gig doesn’t work out …

The team from NewsChannel 9 WSYR TV won the annual Celebrity Milkshake Making Contest on Dairy Day at the State Fair.

Teams from various television and radio stations (with help from county dairy princesses) had to concoct milkshakes using special ingredients they were given, such as Marshmallow Fluff, fiber cereal, coffee and peanut butter. Channel 9’s special ingredient was coconut pudding.

Yancey is Fancy

The annual Dairy Products competition is complete and the winners are on display in the Dairy Products Building.

The grand champion was gouda cheese made by Yancey’s Fancy, located in Corfu in Genesee County.

Gold and silver awards are given in many categories, such as dip, ricotta, cold-pak process cheese, fluid milk, sour cream, cottage cheese, flavored natural cheese, lowfat yogurt and cheeses from milk other than a cow. Then the gold winners are all judged to come up with a grand champion.

Rachel Rouland, of Clifton Springs, with Spice Girl before their appearance on the Bridge Street TV show on Dairy Day.

A large industry

Dairy is king as far as New York agriculture is concerned.

New York’s dairy industry generates more than $2.8 billion in farm sales, constituting nearly half of the state’s total agricultural receipts. The state is the third leading producer of milk in the nation, with 610,000 dairy cows producing more than 13.5 billion pounds of milk annually.

The state ranks first in the nation in the production of yogurt and cottage cheese. Wyoming County is the state’s top dairy county, followed by Cayuga County and St. Lawrence County.

  

Dairy Day at the State Fair

I'm off to Dairy Day at the Great New York State Fair today.

Check back for a story later!

State Fair Butter Sculpture Unveiled

The 2014 New York State Fair Butter Sculpture

The campaign to get more milk into food banks and onto the tables of lower-income families is the theme of this year's Butter Sculpture at the New York State Fair.

Sculptors Jim Victor and Marie Pelton have put together a piece that shows a dairy famer dropping off fresh gallons of milk at his local food bank. Dairy farmers, milk processors and Feeding America have joined forces to raise awareness and improve access to milk for families in need through the Great American Milk Drive.

And fairgoers will be able to help out too.

"We're encouraging fairgoers to make their own donations, either by visiting the website www.milklife.com/give or by texting MILK to 80088, to give $5 to Feeding America," said Rick Naczi, chief executive officer for the American Dairy Association and Dairy Council in Syracuse. "These donations will be converted into coupons for milk so that local food pantries can best manage their supply."

The state's food banks are able to provide only about one gallon of milk each year to the families they serve, according to statistics from the American Dairy Association. Feeding America, dairy farmers and milk processors -- through the Great American Milk Drive -- hope to bring more milk into food banks.



 

New Milk Ad is Out

Here is the new milk ad!

Enjoy it with a tall glass of milk!

New York State Dairy Princess Crowned in Salina

Casey Porter, NYS Dairy Princess

Casey Porter of Jefferson County was named New York State Dairy Princess Tuesday night.

Second alternate is Mikayla MacNeil of Cortland County and first alternate is Lindsey McMahon of Rensselaer County.

Porter, who lives on her parent's dairy farm in Adams Center, goes to South Jefferson High School. For years, she and her family members have shown dairy cattle at the Jefferson County Fair and New York State Fair.

Mikayla MacNeil

The Porterdale Farm was honored in 2011 at Empire Farm Days with the state Agricultural Environmental Management Award. Porterdale Farms was started in 1938 by Glenn and Ruth Porter with 198 acres and 35 cows. The farm now has 1700 mature cows and 1300 replacement heifers. They crop alfalfa, grass, hay, corn silage and corn grain on 4,500 acres. 
 

Lindsey McMahon

About 35 young women from throughout New York state competed to become state dairy princess during a two-day pageant at the Holiday Inn on Electronics Parkway. Contestants are judged in a variety of categories, including performance on a written test, product knowledge test, prepared adult speech, impromptu questions and informal interaction with others.

The princess and alternates will  work throughout the next year making appearances throughout the state for milk promotion.

Dairy Princess Remembers Year with the Crown

Check out this http://instagram.com/p/kju-UynoYv/ video from New York State Dairy Princess Courtney Luskin about her year as princess.