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.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.Wisconsin State Fair Chairman of the Board John Yingling presented 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.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 Buyer: Wisconsin Souvenir Milkcaps for $1,400Bone-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 $1,300Flavored 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 $650Dried 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 $500Traditional 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 $1,000Specialty 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 $1,600Restructured 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 $550Cured 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 $1,250Dry/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 $900Another 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. 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.
About Pam Jahnke
Getting up at 2 in the morning might shock some of her listeners, but for Pam Jahnke, it’s part of the business. Born in Northeastern Wisconsin, Pam Jahnke grew up in agriculture. Raised on her family’s 200-acre dairy farm, she learned the “farm work ethic” first hand.
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