Cheddar. Swiss. Butter. Garlic … milk?

FFA has multiple different events that they practice weekly for. One event is milk quality and production, or MQP. The MQP team here in Buffalo has been the champions of the area meet for four years in a row.

“We have been working hard this year,” junior Kenzie Ryder said. “I think the main goal is to finally get past area.”

In MQP, participants compete in multiple meets throughout the year. However, district is the main meet that everyone looks forward to.

“I love participating in MQP,” junior Makayla Gilliam said. “I am nervous about competing at district, though.”

Those who participate in MQP have to smell and taste different dairy products that are flavored to taste differently, from milk and cheese to different types of creams. The contest isn’t easy for anyone who can’t take unusual tastes.

“My favorite milk product is the garlic milk,” freshman Brett Hoffman said. “Some people find it gross, but I sort of like it.”

MQP has meetings every Tuesday and Thursday during lunch. The competition for these teams is tough. However, top scorer Kenzie Ryder finds it to be fun and filling.

“MQP is sort of fun and I think it’s easy,” Ryder said. “I was surprised to find that I was a top scorer in my group.”

The students involved In MQP include seniors Shalyn Cotton and Ima Champion, juniors Kenzie Ryder and Makayla Gilliam, sophomore Roberto Garcia, and freshman Skylar Randall and Brett Hoffman.

“MQP is not for the faint of heart; it takes some courage to drink or smell something you know will most likely stink or be nasty,” Gilliam said. “I am lactose intolerant, but I still do it because I think it’s fun.”