Meat products auction earns $100,000 for state 4-Hers

Gloria Hafemeister
Corresponent
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The 2019 Best of Show Award to meat processor Louie’s Finer Meats of Cumberland. Louie’s earned the honor for its Old World Sausage (a new category this year). It sold to a consortium of Hartmann Sand and Gravel and Kewaskum Meats for $2,500.

WEST ALLIS – The 150,000 youth involved in 4-H projects, activities and leadership opportunities in Wisconsin will benefit from the proceeds of the Governor’s Blue Ribbon Meat Products Auction at the Wisconsin State Fair recently in West Allis.

The auction, held each year since 1991, raised nearly $100,000 which will help support the youth by helping to hold conferences and workshops, provide teaching materials and support overall development of 4-H youth.

During the sale the award winning meat products at the State Fair were sold including the sausage from Louie’s  Finer Meats of Cumberland which was awarded “Best of Show.” 

Mistress of Ceremonies Pam Jahnke, radio and TV agricultural reporter and host, kicked off the night before Master of Ceremonies Ben Brancel, Endeavor, and Auctioneer Bob Johnson, Milton, sold 28 Champion, Reserve Champion and Honorable Mention meat products. Among those attending the auction were Kathleen O’Leary, CEO of Wisconsin State Fair Park, Ray Cross, President of the UW System, Brad Pfaff, Wisconsin Secretary of Agriculture, and other 4-H supporters.

Lauren Thompsonm, Woodville  and Leah Witt, Mount Horeb, were among the many youth participating in the event and encouraging bidders. They spoke of the benefits of 4-H involvement including developing leadership abilities. 

Witt praised the 4-H program Witt saying, “I feel better prepared to face the future and have the confidence that I can make a difference.”

The Grand Champion, 1st Reserve Champion and Honorable Mention winners and their buyers for each of the categories are:

Flavored Bacon

Grand Champion:  Karl's Country Market, Menomonee Falls

Buyer: Randy Schopen Memorial Foundation for $2,500

1st Reserve:  Sailer's Food Market & Meat Processing, Elmwood

Buyer: Meijer, Inc., for $2,000, generously donated back

Resale: Jones Family Farms for $1,600

Honorable Mention:  Wyttenbach Meats, Praire du Sac

The Governor’s Blue Ribbon Meat Products Auction at the Wisconsin State Fair celebrated its 28th year. In total, this year’s auction raised nearly $100,000. Proceeds from the auction benefit the Wisconsin 4-H Foundation, which supports Wisconsin 4-H activities including 4-H conferences, teaching materials and workshops, and overall development of 4-H youth.

Buyer: Wisconsin Souvenir Milkcaps for $1,400

Bone-In Ham

Grand Champion: Louie's Finer Meats, Inc., Cumberland

Buyer: Consortium of Boehlke Bottled Gas, Cousin's Subs, GoRiteway, LeRoy Haeuser & Saz's for $4,500

1st Reserve: Sailer's Food Market & Meat Processing, Elmwood

Buyer: Daluge Travel for $2,000

Honorable Mention: The Meat Block, LLC, Greenville

Buyer: Egg Innovations for $1,300

Flavored Summer Sausage 

Grand Champion: Louie's Finer Meats, Inc., Cumberland

Buyer: Meijer, Inc. for $2,000

1st Reserve: The Meat Block, LLC, Greenville

Buyer: Rural Mutual Insurance for $1,600, generously donated back

Resale: Wisconsin Farm Bureau for $800, generously donated back

Resale: Meijer, Inc. for $1,000, generously donated back

Resale: Consortium of Badger State Auction & Real Estate, Kay & Duane Bunting, MaryBeth Carr & Wisconsin Souvenir Milkcaps for $600

Honorable Mention: Sixth Street Market, Ashland 

Buyer: Egg Innovations for $650

Dried or Smoked Beef

Grand Champion: Louie's Finer Meats, Inc., Cumberland

Buyer: Daluge Travel for $1,250

1st Reserve: Sailer's Food Market & Meat Processing, Elmwood

Buyer: Rural Mutual Insurance for $750, generously donated back

Resale: Meijer, Inc. for $400

Honorable Mention: Wyttenbach Meats, Praire du Sac

Buyer: Jeff Swenson for $500

Traditional Snack Sausages

Grand Champion: Karl's Country Market, Menomonee Falls

Buyer: Meijer, Inc. for $2,600

1st Reserve: Wyttenbach Meats, Prairie du Sac

Buyers: Consortium of Major Goolsby's and Ultimate Confections for $800

Honorable Mention: The Meat Block, LLC, Greenville

Buyer: Merwin Farms for $1,000

Specialty Cooked Bratwurst

Grand Champion: The Meat Block, LLC, Greenville

Buyers: Consortium of Boehlke Bottled Gas, Cousin's Subs, GoRiteway, LeRoy Haeuser & Saz's for $1,250

1st Reserve: Sailer's Food Market & Meat Processing, Elmwood

Buyer: Crane Farms for $1,250

Honorable Mention: Ray's Market, Colby 

Buyer: Hartmann Sand & Gravel for $1,600

Restructured Jerky

Grand Champion: Ray's Market, Colby 

Buyers: Consortium of Badger State Auction & Real Estate and Egg Innovations for $1,500

1st Reserve: Karl's Country Market, Menomonee Falls 

Buyer: Randy Schopen Memorial Foundation for $500

Honorable Mention: Northwoods Locker LLC, Clayton

Buyer: Gibbsville Implement for $550

Cured Specialty Meat Product

Grand Champion: Geiss Meat Service, Merrill (Beef Bacon)

Buyers: Consortium of Rural Mutual Insurance and Wisconsin Farm Bureau for $1,500, generously donated back

Resale: Crane Farms for $600

1st Reserve: Wilson Farm Meats, Elkhorn (Cottage Bacon)

Buyers: Consortium of Jones Family Farm, Merwin Farms, Town Bank and Bill Thompson for $4,500

Honorable Mention: Sailer's Food Market & Meat Processing, Elmwood (Canadian Bacon) 

Buyer: Gibbsville Implement for $1,250

Dry/Semi-Dry Sausage

Grand Champion: Louie's Finer Meats, Inc., Cumberland

Buyer: Meijer, Inc. for $1,700, generously donated back

Resale: Crane Farms for $600

1st Reserve: Karl's Country Market, Menomonee Falls

Buyer: Crane Farms for $700

Honorable Mention: Geiss Meat Service, Merrill

Buyer: Recognition Specialists for $900 

Another item was auctioned off benefiting the Wisconsin 4-H Foundation and Wisconsin 4-H youth. A Wisconsin-shaped Summer Sausage courtesy of Kewaskum Frozen Foods of Kewaskum was purchased by Kewaskum Frozen Foods for $2,500, and generously donated back to be resold to Egg Innovations for $1,600.

Ten counties in the state contributed raffle baskets with products representing their area. Those baskets earned nearly $2000 toward the event as well.

Throughout the day of the sale various Wisconsin State Fair vendors donated a portion of their sales to the Meat Productions Auction and Wisconsin 4-H Foundation. In total, over $2,000 was donated by these generous vendors.

The auction is produced in partnership with the Wisconsin 4-H Foundation, Wisconsin State Fair and the Wisconsin Association of Meat Processors (WAMP). Generous supporters include Meijer Inc., Klement Sausage Company, Inc., Salm Partners LLC, Bunzel’s Meats and Catering of Milwaukee, as well as WAMP.

The Wisconsin 4-H Foundation, based in Madison, WI, provides essential funding for 4-H programs throughout Wisconsin. Learn more about the Wisconsin 4-H Foundation by visiting www.Wis4HFoundation.org.     

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