At the beginning of the year 1903 an educational butter contest was instituted by the Dairy Department, at Ames, Iowa. The co-operation of the State Dairy Commissioner, H. R. Wright, was secured throughout the test. Each exhibitor sent a thirty pound tub of butter to Ames every other month, thus making six exhibits during the year. The butter was scored at Ames by Prof. G. L. McKay, and P. H. Kiefier, Assistant State Commissioner, acted as expert. As soon as the butter was scored a sample for chemical analysis was taken from each tub.

The butter was then sent to New York to be re-scored by Mr. W. H. Healy. The average of the two scores at Ames and New York constituted the real basis upon which the final decision was rendered.