More than 2,000 consumers learned more about the dairy industry and how milk and dairy products are produced at Dairyfest 2019 Saturday in Brookings. SDSU Extension Dairy Field Specialist Tracey Erickson says the event continues to grow and so does the interest in learning more about one of the state’s leading agricultural industries.

The event featured a family carnival at the Swiftel Center with activities for all ages tied to dairy production through processing.

Consumers were also able to tour a local dairy farm and this year Crosswinds Dairy near Elkton was featured. The dairy is owned by Steve Temperli and his family who started the operation in Switzerland, moved to Canada and then to South Dakota in 2003. He says many factors made the state a good fit for them.

He says they want consumers to leave their farm seeing the care they take with their animals and how that translates into happy and comfortable cows.