State Fair Dairy Contest Draws Wide Range of Products « Back

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Before the Illinois State Fair even opens its doors, the Dairy Building is in full preparation mode.  Not only is the butter sculptor at work, but a variety of dairy product companies from across the United States are delivering items for judging in the dairy products contest held there. 

Dairy companies can enter a variety of products in up to 75 different categories including favorites like Cheddar and Swiss.  However, growing in popularity are the specialty and Mexican cheeses classes.  Marla Behrends, superintendent of the Dairy Building and industry relations manager for Midwest Dairy Asssociation, says classes like shredded and crumbled cheeses were added reflect changing consumer demand. 

One specialty cheese expected to make an appearance is one of Behrends’ favorite.  “It’s a chocolate cheese.  I don’t even eat fudge anymore – I just eat chocolate cheese instead,” she says. 

Each year, the top quality products from the contest are sold at the Commodity Auction, raising money to continue the Sleeter Bull Fund at the University of Illinois.  The fund provides a scholarship for $1,000 each year to a student who has an interest in the livestock and meat industry.  This year’s auction takes place Tuesday, August 16 at 5 p.m. in the Livestock Center.

Dairy product contest entries are set to arrive Monday, Aug. 8, through Wednesday, August 10.  Judging begins at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 10.  

Depending on class, the products are judged on four or five of the following criteria:

After judging, all products are placed in a display case for state fair visitors to view during the building’s hours of 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. 

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Midwest Dairy Association is a non-profit organization funded by dairy farmers to build demand for dairy products through integrated marketing, nutrition education and research. Midwest Dairy is funded by checkoff dollars from dairy farmers in a 10-state region, including Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas and eastern Oklahoma. For more information, visit www.midwestdairy.com. Follow us on Twitter and find us on Facebook at Midwest Dairy.