Dear Hub,

I am an Owen Sound artist. In response to recent news articles about ‘Buttergate’, I have been learning that our Ontario dairy farmers have been adding palm oil to dairy cows' feed to increase fat content as a way to improve butter yields.

I have made a prototype butter sculpture (using 3 pounds of butter) called ‘Udder Madness’. I have future plans to make a life size version.

My cow head with a palm tree coming out of its head is a humorous response to my concern and the public’s concern and fear of the unknown for what else is possibly in our butter, and in other Ontario produced food. As well, palm oil orchards have a huge environmental impact on forests and effect lives of orangutans and other creatures.

Udder Madness’ is my attempt to challenge and bring awareness of the ethics of all Ontario food production.

By the way, I carved my sculpture with a butter knife!

Karen Iris Lucas, Owen Sound