INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — Despite one of the hottest and driest summers in Indiana’s history, a bright spot for agriculture will always be the Great Indiana State Fair, Aug. 3-19, according to Indiana Director of Agriculture Joe Kelsay.

“Even in the worst, most desperate of times, we know there will always be another year,” said Kelsay, who with his family also owns and operates a dairy and grain farm south of Indianapolis. “The State Fair is an ideal environment to engage with our consuming public about our farm practices and efforts on the farm. This is about as many mainstream media as agriculture ever touches, it makes this even more important than ever. Sometimes we just need an opportunity to share what’s good and what’s challenging in agriculture. Sometimes that’s therapy in itself.”

“The State Fair gives us 17 days to remind others of the importance of an otherwise dwindling industry, since only 1-2 percent of society put food on our tables,” said Gov. Mitch Daniels, during the ham breakfast, sponsored by Indiana Pork on opening day of the State Fair on Aug. 3. “I hope that people will never overlook the nobility of what you do, You make it possible every day for the rest of us to pursue our own work.”

And this year, the State Fair celebrates an industry that is revered as one of the hardest-working of all – the dairy industry. Currently, there are more than 1,500 Indiana dairies housing 176,000 cows. These dairy farms produce about 3.5 billion pounds of milk, accounting for nearly $500 million in milk production each year.

“We have 17 days to share the dairy story with fairgoers, including that milk is healthy, dairy is good for the economy and that farmers take care of their land and families,” said Deb Osza, executive director of the American Dairy Assoc. (ADA) of Indiana. “We hope that fairgoers will take away one of these messages during the fair, as well as where milk comes from in general.”

According to Osza, through ADA’s partnership with the Indiana State Fair, there will be a number of dairy-related activities and exhibits to highlight the importance of dairy cows, including:

Cowtown USA (Family Fun Park): This exhibit gives visitors the chance to hand-milk a real cow and participate in the pasteurization process. Participants can take part in creating cheese, butter and ice cream. Even better, they get to sample these “homemade” delights when they’re done.

Moo Chew Grilled Cheese & Lemon Chiller (Dairy Bar): These are two new food items featured in the Dairy Bar this year. “Moo Chew” is a grilled sandwich with American cheese in between two slices of Pepper Jack on Sourdough bread. “Lemon Chiller” is a lemon-flavored milkshake.

Culinary Contests (Ellison Bakery Home & Family Arts Building): A Kids’ Favorite Dairy Smoothie Contest, Saturday, Aug. 4 and Sunday, Aug. 5, for school-age children and a Big Cookie Decorating Contest, Aug. 4 open to everyone will combine fun and flavor with the dairy theme.

Buttercup: The mascot for American Dairy Assoc. of Indiana is at the State Fair to meet and greet fairgoers and represent the dairy industry through the fair’s 17 days.

LegenDairy Marketplace (DuPont Food Pavilion): The ADA of Indiana provides information about the nutritional value of dairy products and the importance of Indiana’s dairy industry.

Fuel Up to Play 60 tent (Family Fun Park): This kids’ activity teaches youngsters why it’s important to eat nutrient-packed foods and exercise for 60 minutes per day.

“Celebrating Dairy Cows” interactive kiosk (Mac Reynolds Barn): This exhibits features facts about dairy cows and the history of the Reynolds farm in Fishers. There are also cow-themed games and photo opportunities.

Free “Cow Cup” (Hot Wisconsin Cheese stand between the Ball State Ag/Hort Building and the DuPont Food Pavilion): Mondays only from 9 a.m. to noon, patrons receive a free 32 oz. souvenir “Cow Cup” of soda with the purchase of any cheese item.

Cattle Barn (West Pavilion): The ADA of Indiana offers displays on modern dairy farming, cow comfort, robotic milking and the six major dairy breeds.

Dairy cow exhibits (Normandy Barn):  Information about Ellen, the world champion milk-producing cow from 1975-1992, will be on display. A carousel milking exhibit will teach visitors about advancements in the dairy industry, and wall panels will provide information about the six breeds of dairy cows.

The State Fair has featured one important Indiana agricultural community since 2007. Previous products featured include corn, pigs, tomatoes, trees (hardwoods) and soybeans.