At the 2008 Minnesota State Fair, the Minnesota State Fair Foundation launched a campaign for the renovation of the popular State Fair exhibit best known as the “Moo Booth.”
The Moo Booth has been educating and informing the public about the beef and dairy industries since 1991. Over 350,000 visitors stopped by the Moo Booth during the 2008 Minnesota State Fair, and more are expected to visit this year after an approximate $1 million renovation this spring.
Doris Mold, Moo Booth coordinator and Milking Parlor superintendent, said inspiration for the renovation “came from those of us who have worked at the Moo Booth.” The project completion date is Aug. 21.
According to Mold, the booth’s new features include an outdoor Land O’Lakes stage to host the hand milking contest and milking demonstrations, and an indoor stage to be used for presentations on food processing, food safety and farm happenings.
In addition, there will be displays that educate the public about how cows, cattle farmers, business and the environment relate and are important to the beef and dairy industries. Mold said that “strictly capital money” was utilized for “significant structural changes, painting and updating the building, architects, design, and new awnings, paintings and materials, and new kiosks that cover different topics.”
More changes await fair visitors, as the public will now have accessibility to milking units, where they can put their milking skills to the test. There will also be a “cow scene investigation activity” to encourage the public to learn through their participation.
There will be an area for people to see how clean their hands are; all this in addition to past attractions such as the Moo Booth test-taking station and the Moolette Wheel. “You can be confident that each year people will see something new and different,” Mold said.
The Moo Booth has made an impact, Mold said, because it provides a “two-way street” for “people that have staffed the booth (to) get an education as well, (in regards to) what consumers do and don’t know.” Mold believes that Moo Booth staff and volunteers can play a more important role than a commercial or poster in educating consumers about issues. “Staff can find out the public’s concerns,” she said, but the public “doesn’t have the opportunity to ask questions because there is no back-and-forth education.”
Mold said the Moo Booth’s new goals include “increasing our exposure to fair visitors substantially, expanding the public’s education, and more media attention than in the past to raise awareness of what we’re doing.”
Mold gave credit for the Moo Booth’s success to all of the volunteers and donors. “They’ve done a tremendous job and we appreciate their enthusiasm and involvement,” she said. “Over 500 donors for this project really stepped up to the plate to make this happen; we appreciate this tremendously.”
The public is invited to the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Moo Booth Aug. 27 at 9 a.m.
Ways to get involved
• Apply to be a Moo Booth employee at www.moobooth.com/employment.htm.
• Serve as a volunteer to promote the beef and dairy industries, and you will receive a free ticket to the State Fair, a parking pass and an collectible “Moo Booth” T-shirt.
• Log on to www.moobooth.com/volunteers.htm for more information.
• Support the new exhibit by becoming a sponsor, as an organization or individual. To contribute, go to www.msffoundation.org.
• Communicate. By telling your friends and family to visit the new Moo Booth, you will further the public’s knowledge of the beef and dairy industries.
• Participate. Whether you’re spinning the “Moolette Wheel” or testing your knowledge at the booth, participating in the various activities shows that you care.
Interesting information
• On average, one cow produces 115 glasses of milk per day
• Beef is the No. 1 consumed protein in the United States
• Dairy farms have reduced their carbon footprint nearly two-thirds in the last 60 years
