Posted: October 12, 2011 at 2:45 pm
By Cindy Zimmerman
One of the dignitaries who attends the World Dairy Expo as part of her job is Alice in Dairyland and it is always a pleasure to meet the latest young lady chosen to represent Wisconsin’s dairy industry and all of the state’s agriculture.
The 64th Alice in Dairyland is Katie Wirkus, who grew up on her family’s dairy and swine operation near Athens, Wisconsin and she started on the year long job on June 1. “We had Wisconsin State Fair and lots of community events and June Dairy Month of course was very busy,” she said.
Katie says that little girls always want to know if she’s a princess. “I’m not a princess, but I do get to wear the tiara to stand out and be visual for the industry,” she said.
Betty Thompson, the new Miss Oklahoma, has chosen promoting milk as part of her pageant duties. Thompson grew up on a dairy farm and wants to spread the message about the health benefits of dairy foods. Keep promoting Betty!
As the new Miss Oklahoma, Thompson wants to spread the message about the positive health benefits of dairy products. Her platform during the pageant was “Milk – It Really Does a Body Good.”
“Dairy has been a big part of my life all of my life,” Thompson told The Associated Press on Sunday. “Always at the dairy shows, I showed dairy cattle growing up. It’s something I’ve always been around.
“I’ll be focusing on teaching students the importance of making healthy lifestyle choices at an early age,” she said. “Habits are formed at a young age, so we want to focus on them drinking milk instead of Cokes or sweet tea.”
She’s been promoting dairy products and fitness initiatives during the past few years while participating in pageants. Last month, she appeared at an event in Cashion along with Chris Chamberlain, a Bethany native who plays for the NFL’s St. Louis Rams, encouraging youngsters to exercise at least an hour every day.
Thompson, a 22-year-old from Davenport – population 881 – is a senior elementary education major at Oklahoma State University. She was crowned as Miss Oklahoma in Tulsa on Saturday night, capping her third run at the pageant title.
Thompson competed as Miss Oklahoma State in 2009 and was Miss Northwest Passage last year, when she finished as the runner-up to outgoing Miss Oklahoma Emoly West. Thompson again competed in this year’s Miss Oklahoma pageant as Miss Oklahoma State.
During the talent portion of the pageant, Thompson performed an Irish step dance to the song “A Dangerous Game.” She said she fell in love with Irish dancing after watching a performance of “Riverdance” in Chicago as a child.
Thompson needs only to complete her student teaching to finish her degree at Oklahoma State, but she’ll take the next year off from school to focus on her duties as Miss Oklahoma. She’ll eventually take the $15,000 in scholarship money to finish her degree at OSU and work on another degree in secondary education at Oklahoma City University.
She’ll compete for the Miss America crown in January in Las Vegas.
Posted: February 23, 2011 at 4:22 pm
By News Editor
Think that opening your farm to visitors; or speaking to consumers about your on-farm practices might not be effective? On the contrary, new research shows these types of activities are very effective.
But just how much good do events on the farm do in building goodwill with consumers? I mean, can opening the doors to a dairy once a year in this day and age actually help inform our non-farm neighbors of what we’re all about?
In a word, yes. Especially if it’s part of a larger communication effort.
Michigan State University researchers recently unveiled results from an exit survey taken from three Breakfast on the Farm (BOTF) events last year to find out more about attendees and their familiarity with farms.
Over the three locations, 37 percent grew up in an urban area; 14 percent grew up in an urban area not near a farm; 11 percent grew up in a rural area not near a farm; 23 percent grew up on a farm, and, 18 percent grew up in a rural area near a farm. (Click here for more results)
But perhaps more interesting was the fact that they didn’t have much experience with farms. At the three locations, 46 percent had not been on a farm before and 25 percent had been on a farm one to five times. Yet, they were willing to drive an average of 32 miles to attend a BOTF event.
The researchers theorize that it seems that these events provide another mechanism to educate the public. It’s likely there will be a greater impact with events located near large metropolitan areas, they note, “but we also can have significant impact in rural regions where the population is also unconnected with modern farming but may encounter it more often in their daily lives.”
Of course, any success depends on how well we present ourselves. Information from the Center for Food Integrity suggests that “early adopting” consumers — those who drive social change — are key to our future. When it comes to the areas of nutrition, food safety and humane treatment of farm animals, this critical segment has a higher level of concern than other societal segments, according to the Center’s research. However, these individual are also information seekers who are willing to consider credible sources.
And that means you, because dairy farmers live these principles every day. Consumer events like BOTF are just one way to open that dialogue.
“Our understanding of what the consumer/public really thinks, wants and why will lead us to better communication about how we manage animals and produce healthy food,” say the Michigan State University researchers. “Now more than ever we all need to be involved in ‘telling our story’ but not just in supporting media marketing of our products, we need to market ourselves. To do this we need to reconnect with our consumers and the public to rebuild trust in our industry. Perhaps BOTF along with a number of other industry efforts will help make this happen.”
Posted: February 17, 2011 at 3:04 pm
By News Editor
Have a camera? Love Select Sires? Then their new photo contest is for you!
Select Sires is looking for new, exciting photos of Select-sired offspring and customers to use in promotions such as calendars, posters, brochures, on the website and much more. The contest is open to all amateur photographers including Select Sires customers, employees and employee family members. Contestants can enter as many photos as they wish.
The first place dairy and beef photos will be featured on the covers of the 2012 Select Sires Dairy and Beef Calendars.
Entries are due June 1, 2011, and photos can be mailed or submitted digitally. Please include the photographer’s name, address, phone number, location where the photo was taken, a brief description of the photo and identification of specific animals or subjects within the photo. Preference will be given to photographs that include cattle, and entries will be judged on composition, quality and character of the image, suitability and/or creativity and overall impression of the photo.
Photo categories are:
* People and their Select-sired offspring
* Landscapes with Select-sired cattle
At the beginning of the Alltech Global 500 I participated in a presentation on social media and I’ve been overhearing farmers talking about how to use it for their farm. During a discussion dinner last night I met a dairy farmer who has been using it to drive business on his farm. He’s a great example for all farmers. He’s Carl Chaney (left in photo) and you can find his farm online at Chaney’s Dairy Barn.
Carl has a great story which I recorded this morning. Basically, his family operation decided to take control of their own destiny and diversify into processing their own milk, making their own ice cream and creating an agri-tourism component of their farm. So over the last couple years they have been using a website and now Facebook and Twitter to promote their business and Carl says they have direct evidence of how it has helped. This use of social media has helped them stay in the dairy business after they were considering getting out.
Besides driving business Carl says they are also helping educate consumers about where their food comes from. Sounds like he could be on the board of the AgChat Foundation! The farm conducts tours with a growing number of area schools. You’ll hear the pride in his voice when he sees kids marvel over a new calf or seeing a milking parlor in action.
Posted: June 1, 2010 at 8:11 am
By Cindy Zimmerman
Alice in Dairyland (aka Cheryl O’Brien), Wisconsin’s official agricultural ambassador, helped to promote ethanol last week during a Minnesota-Wisconsin “Border Battle” between two fuel retailers on opposite sides of the St. Croix River.
The promotional event on Thursday featured a rush-hour special where both stations sold E85 (85 percent ethanol fuel) at an 85 cents per gallon discount from 4-6 pm. The promotion was supported by the Minnesota Corn Growers Association, Wisconsin Corn Growers Association, Holiday Companies, Erickson Oil, American Lung Association of the Upper Midwest and MN & WI Clean Air Choice Teams.
Bob Moffit with the American Lung Association of the Upper Midwest reports that the Wisconsin station ultimately won the border battle, selling 589 gallons of E85 during the two-hour promotion, while the Minnesota station sold 447 gallons.
National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) took a stance this week, a decade after it first asked the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to crack down on the misappropriation of dairy terminology on imitation milk products. Not only did NMPF send another petition to the FDA, asserting that the practice has gotten worse in the past 10 years, it also reached out for support through social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter.
In its petition submitted April 29th, NMPF contends that not only have the terms “soy milk” and “soymilk” continued to proliferate, but also other dairy-specific terms like “yogurt,” “cheese,” and “ice cream” are now being used by products made out of a wide variety of non-dairy ingredients.
“The FDA has allowed the meaning of ‘milk’ to be watered down to the point where many products that use the term have never seen the inside of a barn,” said Jerry Kozak, President and CEO of NMPF. “You don’t got milk if it comes from a hemp plant, you can’t say cheese if it’s made from rice, and faux yogurt can’t be made from soy and still be called yogurt,” he said.
This matter was originally brought to the attention of the FDA in February 2000, when NMPF sent a letter asking that the agency make clear to manufacturers of imitation dairy products that product names permitted by federal standards of identity, including dairy terms such as “milk,” are to be used only on foods actually made from milk from animals like cows, goats, and sheep. The FDA has failed to act on that petition, so NMPF “is again asking our regulators to defend the letter and the spirit of regulations intended to prevent false and misleading labeling on consumer products,” Kozak said. “The use of these terms shouldn’t just be determined by the common and convenient vernacular that marketers prefer; they should be used according to what the law allows.”
As NMPF had predicted ten years ago when it first brought this issue to the attention of FDA, soy “milks” continue to be marketed and sold right along with dairy milks, and now, a bevy of new artificial dairy products has reached store shelves in the past decade. In many cases, these products don’t contain the equivalent levels of nutrients that real milk does.
NMPF’s petition cites examples including imitation milks made from hemp, rice, almonds, and other plants, legumes and vegetables; yogurts made from soybeans and rice; and cheeses made from soy, rice, and nuts. In some cases, marketers use superficial word changes, such as “cheeze,” in an apparent attempt to skirt the standards of identity regulations.
Non-dairy products “can vary wildly in their composition and are inferior to the nutrient profile of those from dairy milk – although they are marketed as replacements for foods that consumers are familiar with and which have a healthful image,” Kozak said. “Although some phony dairy foods may have a passing resemblance to their authentic counterparts, they are very different in nutritional value, composition, and performance from standardized dairy products.”
Client: Midwest Dairy Association, St. Paul, MN – Gregg Fogleman
Agency: Sullivan Higdon & Sink, Kansas City, MO – Parc Masterson accepting for agency
Message: To remind consumers that everything is better with cheese on it.
Audience: Mothers 25-54 with children 18-years-old and younger in the Ozark region.
NAMA Best of Show winner for Public Relations was awarded to:
Client: Dairy Management Inc.., Rosemont, IL – Jolene Griffin
Agency: Weber Shandwick , Minneapolis, MN – Polly O’Grady
Message: To use social media to tell the dairy industry’s story, reinforce and build its positive image and respectfully counter inaccurate or uninformed online commentary about modern farm practices.
Audience: Consumers, age 17-29 and dairy consumers.
Posted: February 12, 2010 at 8:55 am
By Amanda Nolz
Sara Long, communications manager at Michigan State University Department of Ag and Natural Resources, along with Celeste Laurent, agriculture communications major at Western Kentucky University, shared an interactive session during the Partner’s Program at GLRDC in MI titled, “Tweet This: LinkedIn to the World o Social Media.”
The goal of this session was the urge dairy producers to attempt using social networks like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube for the first time. Here are a few tips and tricks provided by Laurent (pictured above) and Long during the presentation:
1. Be news junkys; spread the word and pass along interesting articles through tweets and Facebook status updates.
2. Appeal to consumers. Use the hashtag #moms to reach mothers about the importance of dairy in the diet.
3. Be transparent. Don’t be afraid to show your personality.
4. Post photos, share simple messages (“out milking cows!”) and stick to the basics.
5. Don’t get overwhelmed; just try a few things and see what social network fits your personality best.
Do you have questions, concerns or stories about your experiences using social media? Check out Laurent’s blog here and leave your thoughts in the comments section.
Posted: November 19, 2009 at 10:33 am
By Cindy Zimmerman
As we prepare for the holiday season, the Beef Checkoff is reminding people to give thanks for our abundant food supply.
In giving thanks, you may also receive. Leaving a message of thanks for our farmers and ranchers on the Pasture to Plate website enters you into a drawing for an Omaha Steaks Ideal Gift Collection of steaks and burgers valued at $135.
At the National Association of Farm Broadcasting meeting last week, Massachusetts dairy farmer and Cattlemen’s Beef Board chairman Lucinda Williams talked about giving thanks and the simultaneous campaign to get producers to be active in telling the real story about food production in this country by engaging in the “Food Fight” effort.
She says they are encouraging producers to get out an tell that story on Facebook and Twitter and email, (as well as traditional methods like actual face to face communication!) and encouraging everyone to give thanks for the safe and abundant food supply we enjoy in this country. Lucinda has just started on Twitter and you can follow here here @mcwillclan.
Listen to an interview with Lucinda from NAFB here:
The folks in Harrisburg, Pa. sure were lucky last Tuesday, when the state’s dairy farmers built a 90-gallon ice cream sundae on the Capitol Building steps! The sundae was built to celebrate June Dairy Month and is an annual salute to dairy farmers is sponsored by Pennsylvania Dairy Promotion Program and Mid-Atlantic Dairy Association, who work together to build demand for dairy products. What a treat!
This year, the dairy industry marks the 72nd anniversary of honoring our nation’s hard-working dairy farmers. Dairy is the largest segment of Pennsylvania’s agriculture industry, generating more than $2.22 billion in economic activity. Pennsylvania’s 550,000 dairy cows produce 10.7 billion pounds of milk each year.
“Producing fresh, local, nutritious milk for my fellow Pennsylvanians is a great honor,” said Tim Kurtz, a Berks County dairy farmer who will speak on behalf of the state’s dairy farmers. “I get to work with cows, the land and my family every day, which makes dairy farming one of the best jobs around.”
In addition to Kurtz, Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture Dennis C Wolff and Pennsylvania Dairy Princess LeeAnn Kapanick helped kick off the day’s festivities with opening comments.
Following the opening remarks, volunteers created the giant sundae using 90 gallons of Turkey Hill vanilla ice cream. The mountain of ice cream was covered with 10 gallons of chocolate fudge, 10 gallons of strawberries and 30 pounds of chopped pecans, all donated by Turkey Hill Dairy of Lancaster. The sundae was topped off with real whipped cream and a giant 12-inch ball of cherries.
According to Cindy Weimer, director of Industry Image and Relations for Mid-Atlantic Dairy Association, this event reinforces the common goals shared by dairy farmers, milk processors and industry partners.
“June’s 30 days are a wonderful opportunity to salute the 8,200 Pennsylvania families who produce 5.8 percent of the nation’s total milk supply,” Weimer said. “This event is just one of many dairy checkoff programs designed to help increase the demand for and sales of milk and dairy products.”
The United Business Media PR Newswire posted some positive media coverage for June Dairy Month, boasting the nutritional benefits of milk, cheese and yogurt. PR Newswire is the global leader in innovative communications and marketing services, enabling organizations to connect and engage with their target audiences worldwide. This media outlet provided an in-depth, insightful look at the wonderful world of dairy including: health benefits for life, dedication to children’s health and commitment to a healthy environment.
June is National Dairy Month, a great opportunity for Americans to recognize that low-fat and fat-free dairy foods present a unique combination of both nutritional and economic value. Now is the time to remember the recommendation to get three servings of dairy daily – not only milk, but also cheese and yogurt, since these foods also are valuable and tasty sources of essential nutrients.
Families these days are looking to get the most nutrition they can with their food budget. Dairy is a naturally nutrient-rich food group that, for the most part, comes at a low cost — often just pennies per serving. One eight-ounce glass of milk for example provides nine essential nutrients: calcium, potassium, phosphorus, protein, vitamins A, D and B12, riboflavin and niacin (niacin equivalents).
The board of the Milk Processor Education Program (MilkPEP), funded by U.S. milk processors, has announced the appointment of Vivien Godfrey as chief executive officer of the organization, which manages the award-winning and iconic National Milk Mustache “got milk?” Campaign. Godfrey replaces Kurt Graetzer, who is retiring from MilkPEP after leading the program for the past 14-plus years in its 16-year history. Godfrey’s first official day as CEO is May 11.
Godfrey’s experience includes an extensive period of strategic consulting with McKinsey & Company in London and Toronto; high-level consumer goods marketing and advertising experience with Diegeo Plc.; and U.S. dairy credentials as CEO of Haagen-Dazs North America (The Pillsbury Co.) from 1996-2000. Since 2000, Godfrey has managed her own business, Far Horizons LLC, a marine data retailing company. Godfrey grew up in London, England, and lived in four countries before moving to the United States in 1992.
Said Godfrey, “I’m thrilled to be taking the reins of this great program, at what is a pivotal time for milk. This program and the hard work of milk companies over the past decade have built the foundation for milk as a competitive, contemporary beverage in the United States. Now the program is ready to take steps toward a longer-term, strategic vision. This will allow the milk industry to more fully leverage the program, keep it relevant and fresh, and make it even more effective.”
Godfrey added her perspective on the importance of the program in a highly competitive beverage marketplace. “There’s no question that milk’s voice might easily be drowned out without this excellent program. The campaign is highly recognized by the retail trades and other milk customers, as well as moms, teens and other key audiences — there’s a lot of positive energy behind milk.
Dairy Management Inc.™ (DMI), which manages the national dairy checkoff program, has launched a new program to help dairy producers communicate with the public about modern dairy farming practices. The new program, called myDairy, encourages dairy producers and industry leaders who are engaged in social media efforts to help tell the positive on-farm story of milk production through this growing medium, which includes blogs, social networking sites and positive dairy videos and photos.
The myDairy program has trained more than 350 dairy producers and industry representatives who are interested in online communications.
“The fact that most people are three to four generations removed from the farm means a big information gap exists today,” said David Pelzer, senior vice president of industry image and relations at DMI. “The U.S. dairy industry has a great story to tell — and social media gives us the means to tell it in a unique and engaging way to millions of consumers,” according to Pelzer.
The myDairy program helps the dairy checkoff mobilize dairy advocates across the nation to engage in social media networks and online communities to help protect the image of dairy farmers and the dairy industry. Building a strong, positive online presence for the dairy industry helps counter negative, uninformed attacks and maintains public confidence in dairy foods and the people who produce them. The program also provides a secure blog for dairy advocates to share their social media experiences.
“Not only does myDairy teach us how to use social media sites, but it also gives us key messages to use to make us more effective communicators,” said Will Gilmer, an Alabama dairy producer and creator of “The Dairyman’s Blog,” since 2007. “It’s important for producers to share our own unique perspective and experiences with modern dairy farming, and present a unified voice with the public.”
Producers interested in becoming online dairy advocates should e-mail: myDairy@rosedmi.com for more information.
The Mid-Atlantic Dairy Association and the Pennsylvania Dairy Promotion Program invite local dairy producers to learn how to share your dairy story with the non-farm public. The training sessions, called the Dairy Farmers Speakers Bureau will be held on April 21 and April 23.
By participating in the speakers bureau, farmers can make a difference in helping their non-farm neighbors better understand how dairy farmers take care of their animals and land, provide the safest products possible, and play a vital role in the local community.
The speakers bureau is funded through the dairy checkoff program and is a joint effort of Pennsylvania Dairy Promotion Program, Mid-Atlantic Dairy Association and the Center for Dairy Excellence. The program is available to farmers in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware and southern New Jersey. The workshops will provide the communication tools needed to tell your dairy story to local community groups, such as the Lions Club, the Rotary or the Chamber of Commerce. The speakers bureau will also provide the services of a “scheduler,” who will identify local community groups, book speaking engagements, and handle follow-up evaluations.
Spring training sessions are schedule as follows: Tuesday, April 21, 2009, in the Keystone Room at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex, Harrisburg, Pa., and Thursday, April 23, 2009, at the Mercer County Cooperative Extension Office, Mercer, Pa. Both training workshops will begin at 9:30 a.m. and will conclude by 2:30 p.m. Lunch will be provided and the workshops are free to dairy farmers. Additional training sessions will be held in Pennsylvania in Fall 2009 and in the Maryland/Delaware area later in the spring.
If you would like to participate in one of the spring training workshops, please contact Jayne Sebright at 717-259-6496 or via e-mail at jsebright@centerfordairyexcellence.org to register.
Recently Amanda posted a YouTube video called “Dairy Farmers Love Feeding Families.” Created by the New York Animal Agriculture Coalition. The group is focused on reconnecting the publics’ understanding of and appreciation for animal agriculture through: media engagement, public education, and by fostering cooperation between industry stakeholders.
The group has also recently introduced several billboards that will be used through-out New York state to help spread the positive message about the dairy industry. Check them all out!
I don’t usually need an excuse to order a pizza, but if you do – here’s your perfect one: it supports dairy farmers! Domino’s Pizza®, partnering with dairy producers through their checkoff investment, has launched six new specialty pizzas called American Legends™. Each pizza uses up to 40 percent more cheese than a regular Domino’s pizza, making the potential additional cheese sales more than 10 million pounds of cheese annually, using more than 100 million additional pounds of milk.
If you need any more incentive to order one of these pizzas today, an online coupon is available – click here to get it!
Through the Domino’s partnership and other checkoff efforts, dairy producers are helping to build pizza sales for the short and long term. Pizza sales directly affect cheese sales — more than 25 percent of total cheese sales is used on pizzas … representing more than 2.5 billion pounds of cheese annually and more than 25 billion pounds of milk used each year.
Dairy producers are investing $12 million over two years to support the partnership that will help raise consumer awareness of the new pizzas through advertising, public relations, local market promotions, and communications activities. Domino’s will invest four to five times the dairy producers’ investment for menu development, in-store staff training, advertising, online, and promotion materials — including a newly designed pizza box that credits dairy producers for supplying great-tasting, quality cheese — among other efforts.
Domino’s recently unveiled the specialty pizzas through its new American Legends™ pizza line. The pizzas, which are inspired by unique tastes found throughout the country, are permanent menu items at the chain’s 5,000 U.S. locations. The pizzas feature premium toppings, including six types of cheese and cheesy crusts:
Honolulu Hawaiian, which consists of sliced ham, smoked bacon, pineapple, and roasted red peppers with Provolone and Mozzarella cheeses on a cheesy Parmesan crust. Customers can add Tabasco® pepper sauce and jalapenos for some extra “fire.”
Cali Chicken Bacon Ranch™, which consists of chicken breast, white sauce, smoked bacon, tomatoes, and parsley with Provolone and Mozzarella cheeses on a cheesy Parmesan crust.
Pacific Veggie, which consists of roasted red peppers, spinach, onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, and black olives with Feta, Provolone and Mozzarella cheeses on a cheesy Parmesan crust.
Memphis BBQ Chicken, which consists of chicken breast, barbecue sauce, onions, and parsley with Cheddar, Provolone and Mozzarella cheeses on a cheesy Parmesan crust.
Buffalo Chicken, which consists of chicken breast, buffalo hot sauce, onions, and parsley with American and Provolone cheeses on a cheesy Cheddar crust.
Philly Cheese Steak, which consists of steak, onions, green peppers, and mushrooms with American and Provolone cheeses on a cheesy Provolone crust.
The dairy industry has unveiled a major initiative to help reduce on-farm expenses while meeting a growing consumer demand for environmentally friendly products. The industry-wide effort focuses on the fluid milk value chain — from farm to table. It includes a series of projects that will reduce energy, increase efficiency and help dairy producers tap into new sources of income.
The announcement was made by the Innovation Center for U.S. Dairy, an organization bringing together leaders from across the dairy value chain. The industry-wide group includes producer organizations, dairy cooperatives, processors and manufacturers such as Hilmar Cheese Company, Leprino Foods, Dairylea Cooperative Inc., Anderson Erickson Dairy, Land O’Lakes and Dairy Farmers of America.
As part of the initiative, 12 project plans were unveiled that offer a range of solutions for operations large and small across all industry segments. Some of these projects take advantage of existing practices, while others are technological innovations that require longer time frames and financial commitments for research and development.
“During these difficult economic times, it is especially important to address both short- and long-term solutions that ensure the health and strength of our industry,” said Thomas P. Gallagher, chief executive officer of the Innovation Center and Dairy Management Inc.™ (DMI), which manages the national dairy checkoff program on behalf of the nation’s dairy producers. “By identifying practical and effective methods to increase business value and reduce dairy’s carbon footprint, we ensure the viability and sustainability of U.S. dairy producers and the dairy industry,” he added.
The project plans have the potential to create a conservatively estimated $238 million in business value and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 3.2 million metric tons — equivalent to taking more than half a million cars off the road every year.
Solutions include identifying and implementing energy-saving best practices across all value chain segments, removing barriers to the adoption of methane digesters, and implementing pilot programs to test alternatives to thermal pasteurization for raw milk and reduced-temperature clean-in-place technologies.
The 2008-2009 Alice in Dairyland is Ashley Huibregtse. She serves June to June and promotes agriculture all over the state.
I met her at this year’s World Dairy Expo. She says she’s “an ambassador for everything from the dairy industry which we have here at World Dairy Expo, to cranberries, cherries and ginseng.”
Her travels take her to media interviews, school visits and events like Expo. She hopes to get a job in communications that allows her to continue to promote agriculture.
You can listen to my interview with Ashley as part of our Milking Parlor Podcast: milking-parlor-37.mp3
To subscribe to the Milking Parlor podcast, here are some instructions.
One of the dignitaries who attends the World Dairy Expo as part of her job is Alice in Dairyland and it is always a pleasure to meet the latest young lady chosen to represent Wisconsin’s dairy industry and all of the state’s agriculture.
Alice in Dairyland (aka Cheryl O’Brien), Wisconsin’s official agricultural ambassador, helped to promote ethanol last week during a Minnesota-Wisconsin “Border Battle” between two fuel retailers on opposite sides of the St. Croix River.
Two different dairy industry groups won national recognition from the 
Sara Long, communications manager at Michigan State University Department of Ag and Natural Resources, along with Celeste Laurent, agriculture communications major at Western Kentucky University, shared an interactive session during the Partner’s Program at GLRDC in MI titled, “Tweet This: LinkedIn to the World o Social Media.”
As we prepare for the holiday season, the Beef Checkoff is reminding people to give thanks for our abundant food supply.
At the National Association of Farm Broadcasting meeting last week, Massachusetts dairy farmer and 
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The folks in Harrisburg, Pa. sure were lucky last Tuesday, when the state’s dairy farmers built a 90-gallon ice cream sundae on the Capitol Building steps! The sundae was built to celebrate June Dairy Month and is an annual salute to dairy farmers is sponsored by 
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I don’t usually need an excuse to order a pizza, but if you do – here’s your perfect one: it supports dairy farmers! 
The dairy industry has unveiled a major initiative to help reduce on-farm expenses while meeting a growing consumer demand for environmentally friendly products. The industry-wide effort focuses on the fluid milk value chain — from farm to table. It includes a series of projects that will reduce energy, increase efficiency and help dairy producers tap into new sources of income.
The 2008-2009