The Touching Story Behind the 2024 Butter Cow's Name

DES MOINES – On Monday, Butter sculptor Sarah Pratt bestowed State Auditor Rob Sand with the honor of naming the 2024 Iowa State Fair Butter Cow. Without hesitation, Sand paid homage to his cow-naming predecessor, Brogan Malcolm, who grew up in Truro, Iowa. "Brogan named the butter cow for 10 years, and her story can inspire all of us," said Sand. "So, it makes perfect sense that this year's butter cow be named after her." Malcolm, born without sight, made a tradition of attending the Iowa State Fair with her grandfather, who at the time, called Pratt with a special request. "He called and asked if there was a way that Brogan could have a hands-on experience with the butter cow," said Pratt, who immediately agreed to allow her into the refrigerator unit housing the butter cow and her companions. "Being a special education teacher, I wanted her to feel the sculpture, to smell the butter, and it became a tradition that was just so lovely." Malcolm, now 20 years old, says she distinctly remembers the smell of the butter – which is recycled year after year. "It smelled old," said Malcolm jokingly. The decade-long, Iowa State Fair pastime solidified the bond between Malcolm, Pratt and Pratt's two daughters, who have helped sculpt the 600-pound butter bovine on and off since their mother took over the job in 2006. Malcolm currently interns at a daycare center, where she reads to children from books written in Braille, and will soon graduate from Des Moines Public Schools' Secondary Transition Employment Program (STEP). "Brogan teaches us an important lesson," said Sand. "What some might view as a disability, is really just a different way of experiencing the world." Unlock a world of knowledge! Sign up for free DecorahNews.com newsletters and receive local news, local events and everything that is happening in and around Decorah.