Michigan Butter Grading Program Benefits Consumers and Producers
In partnership with: Michigan Department of Agriculture & Rural Development
From cookies to casseroles, Americans seem to agree that almost everything tastes better with butter.
In 2020, the average person in the U.S. ate 6.3 pounds of butter, up from 4.9 pounds in 2010. To ensure that all those consumers can consistently buy high-quality butter with excellent flavor, texture, body and color, the U.S. Department of Agriculture relies on a grading program established in 1919. Butter sold in the U.S. must be at least 80% milkfat and can receive a grade of AA, A or B.
Butter labeled with the U.S. Grade AA shield is made from sweet cream and has been evaluated on a scoring system by a trained grader to meet or surpass the highest quality standards.
“We’re looking for a sweet, creamy flavor that’s pleasing to the palate,” says Carianne Endert-Klaasen, a USDA-certified butter grader with the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. “AA has this clean, crisp, refreshing butter flavor, and it’s really good a few days off the churn.”
Butter receiving an A or B grade still has a pleasing flavor but could also be somewhat acidic or bitter or have a slightly malty or musty taste.
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Butter Brigade
Endert-Klaasen travels with USDA inspectors to dairy plants all over Michigan that have requested the fee-based service. She takes samples from lots of butter using a tube-like trier. Before tasting each sample, she presses on it to check for excess water as well as shortness or a tendency to crack.
“If there are inconsistencies in body, texture, flavor or color, it loses points and will lose grades,” she explains.
Michigan is among the top 10 dairy-producing states and one of only three states that offer inspections and butter grading as a service to dairy processing facilities. This program saves the plants money and downtime by allowing them to complete the required USDA and MDARD inspections simultaneously, says Barb Koeltzow, MDARD dairy safety and inspection program manager.
“We also save these facilities real dollars because the USDA program is funded directly by fee allocations based on travel time to and from the facility, airfare, lodging, miles driven and actual hours spent conducting the butter grading and inspections,” she says. “It gives Michigan a competitive advantage when companies are looking to expand and build new facilities in different regions of the country.”
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