SYRACUSE, N.Y. — The Dairy Cow Birthing Center, hosted by the New York Animal Agriculture Coalition (NYAAC), returned to celebrate its 10th year as a free educational exhibit and one of the most sought out attractions at the New York State Fair. Hundreds of thousands of fairgoers had the opportunity to witness the miracle of life and converse with real dairy farmers throughout the 13-day event in Syracuse, NY.
“It was exciting to be back at the New York State Fair to celebrate a decade of making the NY dairy industry front and center at the West end of the Fairgrounds and provide an engaging exhibit to fairgoers,” said Eileen Jensen, NYAAC Executive Director. “This exhibit is a true labor of love for New York’s dairy industry that works collaboratively to bring farmers and industry experts to showcase our livelihood and the birth of a calf. The interest, questions and respect fairgoers show towards this exhibit and our animals continues to astound us, giving us the incentive to expand this exhibit, which we continue to do year after year.”
The Dairy Cow Birthing Center was successful again this year because of the more than 200 volunteers, 50 sponsors, and 6 Host Farms that provide their time, talent, resources, and cows. NYAAC organizes the exhibit in collaboration with the New York State Fair, and with major funding and support from more than 50 businesses and organizations. For a complete list of sponsors, please visit www.uddermiracles.com.
The exhibit doesn’t take place without the cows. This year, the cows came from the following family-owned New York dairy farms: Locust Hill Dairy in Mannsville, NY, Stein Farms in LeRoy, NY, Pine Hollow Dairy in Genoa, NY, Patterson Farms in Auburn, NY, Twin Birch Dairy in Skaneateles, NY, and Walnut Ridge Dairy in Lansing, NY.
We welcomed 34 healthy calves into the world this year, 18 bulls and 16 heifers, and shared that experience with fairgoers each day. Although each calf is special, we had one very special calf born this year named Stacey. Stacey’s birth was special because her dam (mother) was born at the first Dairy Cow Birthing Center in 2013! “Having a farm that has believed in the work we do from the beginning and is willing and happy to share their cows with the public is amazing,” said Hannah Johnson, NYAAC Communications Manager. Four of the six Host Farms this year helped launch the Dairy Cow Birthing Center in 2013 and we’re thankful that they returned to celebrate a decade of advocacy and dairy promotion!
In addition to welcoming “uddermiracles” into the world, the Dairy Cow Birthing Center provided supplementary opportunities for visitors to learn about the NY dairy industry. The Wall of Knowledge returned for the 3rd year, showcasing agricultural career opportunities, the benefits of dairy products, and how farmers care for their animals. With more than 8,000 people receiving text messages alerting them of an upcoming birth, NYAAC continued to positively impact visitors, near and far. With less than a year before the kickoff of the 2024 State Fair, the NYAAC team is already making plans to continue to showcase the miracle of life and bring the farm to fairgoers next August.
NYAAC is a collaborative group of advocates that builds trust between farmers and their community members. This non-for-profit organization showcases modern agricultural practices in an ever-changing industry by empowering and encouraging farmers to share their agricultural stories. To sustain the future of animal agriculture, NYAAC utilizes its diverse passions to amplify the voices of New York State farmers. With a dynamic staff, farmer directors, and industry professionals, this team effectively networks and builds relationships to raise funds and support for programs that align with the NYAAC mission.
For more information about NYAAC and more details about the Dairy Cow Birthing Center, please visit www.nyanimalag.org.
–NY Animal Agriculture Coalition
