‘Virtually butter together:’ 2020 NY State Fair Butter Sculpture unveiled

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WWTI) — It’s finally here, the 2020 butter sculpture is now on display and shows a glimpse of a child’s reality in 2020.

However, like the theme of this year’s 800 pound sculpture, many of its viewers watched the live event on a computer screen.

The theme for the 52nd annual butter sculpture is titled “Nourishing our future.”

According to the sculptors Jim Victor and Marie Pelton, inspiration derived from ensuring that children are nourished when learning both from home and at school.

“Despite uncertain times, you can rest assured that dairy farmers will continue to do what we have always done, 365 days a year – care for our cows and produce milk and dairy products to feed our communities,” said Lisa Porter of Porterdale Farms in Adams Center. “Children need nourishment to thrive in the classroom and beyond, and dairy farmers have long been advocates for school meal programs that increase student access to nutritious foods.”

The two sided sculpture shows a dairy farmers providing milk to two children learning from home and a virtual teacher shown on a laptop screen. The other side depicts a child learning in school with a school nutritionist presenting a lunch tray to the classroom.

“Both settings illustrate the vital contributions and commitment to nourishing our future wherever children learn by dairy farmers and school nutrition teams,” stated representatives from the American Dairy Association North East.

Additionally, statewide winners of the #virtuallybuttertogether instagram contest were announced and represented through cardboard cutouts of the winners.