The school has plans to turn the life-size butter sculpture, held at the Great New York State Fair, into biodiesel to fuel its vehicles, according to a Thursday ESF news release.

Collaboration between the American Dairy Association and Dairy Council Inc. and ESF will bring the butter a new life when it is transformed into nearly 90 gallons of fuel to be used in various vehicles throughout the ESF campus, according to the release.

The sculpture, called ‘Feeding our Future,’ depicts a lunch line at a typical school with a cafeteria worker helping kids fill their trays with healthy breakfast foods, such as fruit, yogurt and cereal. It took 800 pounds of unsalted butter and approximately 10 days to create, according to an Aug. 24 article in The Post-Standard.

Traditionally, the butter sculpture pays tribute to the farm families who work hard to feed New York residents, but this year it was made to publicly thank cafeteria workers across the state, according to the release. The sculpture has been created by the same two artists for the past nine years.

ESF officials could not be reached for comment.

The butter used for the sculpture was donated by Wegmans Food Markets and will be on display during all 12 days of the fair.

ESF students also contributed at the fair by leading daily exhibits and lectures.

Stephanie Anos, a junior environmental science major, said she volunteered with a field biologist at the fair to help inform children about invasive species by making animal masks. Anos said she is glad to see ESF increasing its presence in the community.

Anos said: ‘It’s a good thing because people are more aware of the environment and what we have to say.’

egsawyer@syr.edu