HARRISBURG, Pa. — American Dairy Association North East and Pennsylvania Dairy Promotion Program, in partnership with the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, displayed the 35th annual butter sculpture at the Pennsylvania Farm Show, held here earlier this month.

The sculpture commemorated the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and paid tribute to Pennsylvania’s central role in the birth of our nation and the growth of American agriculture. The scene transported viewers back to 1776 Philadelphia, where Benjamin Franklin and the Founding Fathers are depicted signing America’s founding document – and commemorating the moment with a celebratory toast of milk.

The sculpture also featured iconic symbols of American democracy including the Liberty Bell, as well as a nod to Betsy Ross and the first American flag. Red, white and blue accents are woven throughout the design, reinforcing the patriotic spirit of America’s semi-quincentennial celebration. Beneath the scene, the sculpture’s pedestal honors the Commonwealth’s rich agricultural heritage with carved imagery highlighting farming and food production.

The sculpture was crafted by acclaimed artists Jim Victor and Marie Pelton of Conshohocken, Montgomery County, who spent several weeks molding the piece onsite using more than 1000 pounds of butter donated by Land O’Lakes in Carlisle, Cumberland County.

“Pennsylvania’s agricultural roots date back to our nation’s earliest days,” said dairy farmer Carolyn Matthews Eaglehouse of Milky Way Farm in Chester Springs, Chester County. “While the Founding Fathers were shaping a new country, farmers here were building a strong dairy industry that continues to thrive today. I’m incredibly proud to be a part of that legacy.”