OCRRA, partners dismantle and recycle State Fair butter sculpture

GEDDES, N.Y. — The annual butter sculpture at the New York State Fair is heading to the recycling process.

The Onondaga County Resource Recovery Agency (OCRRA) on Tuesday worked with Cornell Cooperative Extension and the American Dairy Association and Dairy Council Inc. (ADADC) to dismantle the sculpture.

Once dismantled, OCRRA was set to transport and compost the 800 pounds of “inedible” butter at its compost facility in Amboy.

“We’re going to compost it in with all the other food waste we’re getting from local restaurants and we’re going to make into a beneficial product for the community,” says Ann Fordock, recycling specialist at OCRRA.

OCRRA turns the butter into compost for gardens and landscapes, she added.

Fordock anticipated deconstructing the sculpture would take only a few hours. The entire composting process could take between 90 and 120 days, she added.

Fordock spoke to BJNN Tuesday morning in the Dairy Products Building at the State Fairgrounds.

The 2015 butter sculpture was called, “Thanks for the Milk, Moo York,” according to a news release the ADADC issued Aug. 26.

The sculpture paid tribute to all who took part in “The Great American Milk Drive,” the ADADC said.

It featured a dairy farmer, a milk processor and retailer each holding gallons of milk, and elements representing New York communities behind them, including the Carrier Dome and Statue of Liberty, according to the ADADC news release.

The New York State Fair ended its 12-day run on Labor Day. Vendors returned to the fairgrounds on Tuesday to pack up their equipment and supplies.

More than 908,000 people attended this year’s fair, down from more than 965,000 in 2014.