Dairy is a $2.4 billion industry in the state of South Dakota and consumers got to see that firsthand at the 4th annual Dairy Fest Saturday in Brookings. SDSU Extension Dairy Field Specialist Tracey Erickson says the consumer-focused event highlighted the importance of the dairy industry and included a family carnival.

Erickson says consumers toured the SDSU Davis Dairy Plant to learn how dairy products are safety processed.

And at Golden Dakota Farms near Elkton consumers saw the care farmers take to produce the products they love. Manager Donovan Coetzee says the 3,600-cow dairy operation was built in 2005 and they are milking cows around the clock.

Nearly 2,000 people attended the Dairy Fest activities.