This year, the third annual National Butter Day will be celebrated Friday, Nov. 17! For those wondering, National Butter Day came along in 2021 thanks to Associated Milk Producers Inc., which is a dairy farm cooperative that helps thousands of farm families across the nation produce quality dairy products including our beloved butter. The co-op has been around for over five decades, and the family farms associated with the co-op span the upper Midwest including parts of northwest Illinois.

Butter is a household staple for many families in Illinois and plays a large role in our state’s culture. Each year, one of the main attractions of the Illinois State Fair is the iconic Butter Cow. Back in August, the Butter Cow sculpture for 2023 was unveiled. The 800-pound sculpture was created by Sarah Pratt and honored Lorilee Schultz, an Illinois dairy farmer whose family farm goes back generations. The sculpture was proudly displayed in the Dairy Building at the state fair for everyone to enjoy.

Additionally, butter can be used to make already delicious foods even better. Illinoisans know this well. The official state snack of Illinois is popcorn. Popcorn and butter have always gone hand-in-hand and thanks to Illinois farmers, the bite-size delicacy can be found across the nation as the state is a top producer of the snack with 28,000 acres of farmland dedicated to its production.

Butter is also a top contributor to making popular foods in Illinois the best around. From beef sandwiches, to apple fritters, butter rolls and on our favorite roasted meats, we can always count on butter to elevate any food.

This holiday season, remember to keep butter stocked and ready!