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HARRISBURG, Pa. (Erie News Now) — Thursday, Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding unveiled the 2023 Pennsylvania Farm Show butter sculpture.
Land O’ Lakes in Cumberland County donated over 1,000 pounds of butter for the sculpture, which honors Pennsylvania’s 5,200 dairy farmers. The butter sculpture unveiling is an annual tradition that takes place just before the Farm Show officially begins.
The sculpture is sponsored by the American Dairy Association North East (ADANE) and took about two weeks to carve. Secretary Redding says it symbolizes the theme for this year’s farm show: “Rooted In Progress.”
“We celebrate this year’s theme, Rooted in Progress, by highlighting the progress made over the past eight years and the opportunity that Pennsylvania’s farm families have today to innovate, diversify, and plan,” said Redding. “The entire commonwealth benefits from the strong roots we’ve cultivated for agriculture. These roots feed local economies and Pennsylvania families, they break down walls holding Pennsylvanians back, and they are a strong foundation for the future,” Redding added.
Redding says the sculpture tells the stories of Pennsylvania dairy farmers of the past, present and future, and their impact on society.
“Each story is unique, but they’re all rooted in progress. Their story is our story. Together we are feeding a community, the commonwealth, and sharing the abundance of what we produce, both here at home and around the globe,” said Redding.
Following the show, the butter will be moved to the Reinford Farm in Juniata County to be converted into renewable energy in the farm’s methane digester.
The Farm Show officially kicks off this Saturday and runs Jan 7-14 at the Farm Show Complex and Expo Center in Harrisburg. Admission is free and parking is $15.
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