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People love sharing their stories. With the transparency of the world we live in, we hear, read and watch a lot of stories. My story began in Lake Mills, Wisconsin on my family farm, Krull Farms, which will be a young 100 years old in a few short years. It’s a family legacy, started four generations ago and was carried on by my Dad and Mom, and now I hope to be the fourth generation. Did you know that 96 percent of farms in Wisconsin are family owned? Humbled to be able to grow up on my family’s dairy and crop farm, I learned first-hand what farm life entails. It is a lot of early mornings, late nights and hard work. In addition, I was also able to learn how to care for animals, most of the time caring for them better than myself. Some experiences I endured on the farm weren't easy, but I learned and became more resilient to life. My 4-H projects taught me about the cycle of life, as I experienced working with chickens, pigs, sheep, beef and dairy cattle. Did you know that my family farm produces milk, beef, corn for grain and silage, wheat (winter), soybeans and hay? My family farm, combined with the roughly 68,500 farms in Wisconsin, annually generate over $88 billion to the state’s economy. Did you know Wisconsin is ranked in the top 20 states in all the products we produce at Krull Farms? According to Wisconsin 2018 Agricultural Statistics: Milk production (#2) Cattle and calves (#9) Corn for silage (#1) Corn for grain (#10) Soybeans (#14) Wheat, winter (#20) I am thrilled to have my family business, as well as others among our rural communities, working together and be the contributing parts of those ranks, and providing an economic impact daily to our Wisconsin economy and its future. Farming continues to teach me valuable life lessons. Being able to adapt is key. Technology and economics have made the American farmer be tech-savvy, and business focused. Wisconsin agriculture provides opportunities, as it provides one in nine jobs to our communities. The economic impact agriculture has to Wisconsin’s economy helps us know it is here to stay! My name is Cassandra Krull. I hope to be a fourth generation farmer in Wisconsin and humbled to be a candidate for Wisconsin's 72nd Alice in Dairyland position.

Throughout my year as Alice, I have promoted the diversity of Wisconsin agriculture as the industry’s greatest strength. America’s Dairyland is filled with cattle, mink, corn, cranberries and more. Now for the first time since the 1950s, we’ve added industrial hemp to the list. I was still working as a news reporter in Eau Claire when the story of bringing back hemp hit the wires. We used black and white footage of the crop because that was the only visual we had for our television viewers. After making a visit to Monroe in 2019, I now have a clearer vision of industrial hemp. The Wisconsin Industrial Hemp Research Pilot Program started in 2018. Those who applied to grow hemp had to pass a background check and pay the required fees. Once in business, the crop could be used for fiber, grain, seed and CBD end uses. Mark Hubbard of GroHub Farm in Monroe met with me to explain his business. He recently moved to Wisconsin from the state of Washington, but Hubbard had ties to Wisconsin through his father’s dairy farm. Hubbard said he saw the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) and legislators listening to make good decisions for farmers which was a big part of why he launched GroHub in Wisconsin. The business has a license to grow and process hemp. Hubbard works with area farmers to process their hemp into cannabidiol (CBD) products such as lotions or tinctures. Hubbard saw hemp as an opportunity to revitalize Wisconsin agriculture, and he isn’t alone. Nearly 1,700 applicants are seeking licenses to grow hemp in Wisconsin this year with more than 700 applications to process the crop, according to DATCP. We only had 245 growers and 99 processors licensed in the state when the program launched in 2018. Of the growers, 135 planted a crop. When asked how they harvest, Hubbard said there is equipment available such as tobacco harvesters and hops bailing equipment. In fact, they hang hemp to dry like hops and tobacco plants. The industry is still finding its path in genetics and stability. Being a farm girl, I understand there are always risks involved in agriculture, but I had no idea what challenges stem from growing hemp. To maximize the value of hemp grown for CBD, the crop cannot pollinate. Growers want to harvest the buds and flowers found on female plants, but if they are pollinated, those flowers will turn into seeds. The solution is to use only female plants, but how can you tell a male seed from a female seed? Hubbard said they can have nearly 1,200 plants per acre, but it only takes a couple of males to pollinate and damage a crop. Their solution amazed me: clones. By cloning successful, female hemp plants, growers can guarantee consistency and gender. Clones can also help ensure tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) levels are at the required 0.3 percent or lower. Imagine the agricultural opportunities that can grow from this new crop for farmers, processors, researchers and more. Wisconsin may be reviving an old crop, but our state will continue to diversify its industry through persistence and innovation to keep agriculture moving forward.

This spring, I enjoyed tapping into Wisconsin’s sweet maple syrup industry. Being very familiar with the delicious treat, I wanted to learn the secrets of syrup production. That’s why I turned to the experts in Albany. I first met Mr. Rupp and his Albany FFA students at the Christmas tree cutting in November. After introducing themselves, they sweetly handed me a bottle of maple syrup they made as a chapter. Needless to say, the syrup did not last as long as my lush Christmas tree as pancakes topped with real maple syrup quickly became my favorite breakfast. After that introduction, Mr. Rupp promised to give me a tour of their operation. I was thrilled when spring finally arrived and sap started flowing. Weather plays an important role for our syrup producers, which makes each season unpredictable in Wisconsin. The sap flows best when we have below freezing temperatures at night and above freezing temperatures during the day. Once our temperatures get above 60 degrees, the tree starts saving that sap because they are budding. Our syrup producers had a later start this year compared to 2018 with most trees being tapped in March. Last year, maple syrup season started on February 18 in Wisconsin, and it didn’t end until May 2. In fact, 2018’s season lasted almost a week longer than 2017. We also saw an increase in syrup production and taps. Our syrup producers tapped 750,000 trees last year to produce 225,000 gallons of syrup. Many may not realize Wisconsin ranks fourth in the nation for syrup production. The diversity of our state’s agriculture industry is truly our greatest strength. Some tap trees as a hobby hanging bags from trees. Larger maple producers often use vacuum tubing systems to collect sap. They are all unique to see! So how do we turn that watery sap into thick, sweet maple syrup? My dad told me stories of how he and his siblings would boil sap in an open pan in the woods. I’ve read about producers who use reverse-osmosis equipment to help remove water from sap. Over in Albany, trees are tapped all across town with help from volunteers. Community members donate their time to cook sap on school grounds so students of all ages can see. The building is hard to miss with steam flowing from the roof and chimney. The main concept of making syrup is simple. They remove water from sap to leave behind natural sugars. The amount of sap needed to make syrup also depends on the season. On average, it takes 40 gallons of sap to make just one gallon of syrup. This year, our syrup producers say the sap has higher levels of natural sugars, so they are using less sap. Our producers pull out all of the stops to provide safe, wholesome syrup for families. Mr. Rupp demonstrated how they use a Murphy Cup and hydrometer to test the density of syrup. If the syrup is too thick, they can add more sap. If it is too thin, they can continue cooking until the numbers on the hydrometer match the dial on the Murphy Cup. Once the syrup is cooked to perfection, they add a filtering agent to help capture any unwanted elements and create a pure product. The syrup is pushed through a filter press before being bottled and shared with family and friends. There are three classes of Grade-A pure maple syrup. They include Light Amber, Medium Amber and Dark Amber. Like all aspects of syrup, the color is natural. Typically the darker the syrup, the stronger its flavor. Although we only tap into syrup production in the spring, real maple syrup is a versatile, natural sweetener that can be used year-round for breakfast toppings, coffee sweetener, or maybe even as a salad dressing. Seeing the work put into this entire process gave me a whole new appreciation for every drop of sweet syrup poured over my morning pancakes. The Wisconsin Maple Syrup Producers Association has information, including tips for recipes, on their website at wismaple.org.

Signs of spring are sprouting everywhere. Warmer temperatures have me reminiscing about summer days, fairs and festivals. In Wisconsin, we never shy away from the chance to celebrate an industry or tradition. Just look at June Dairy Month! Although my June was packed with dairy breakfasts and events last year, one of my favorite festivities brought home the bacon with new knowledge of Wisconsin pork producers. Working in my cubicle at the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection in Madison, I overheard some of my coworkers talking about a Pork Fest in Janesville. My curiosity peaked, I asked about the event and was quickly told it was something I wouldn’t want to miss. As a dairy girl, I knew very little about Wisconsin’s pork industry. Excited to learn before Pork Fest, I quickly stopped by Jeff Swenson’s desk. Swenson is a livestock and meat specialist at DATCP who has a strong understanding of the economic and cultural impact of pork. Swenson told me most pork producers manage part-time or small, family-owned operations. In fact, we only have about 305,000 hogs in Wisconsin, but our industry is nothing to snort at. About 10,000 jobs are involved in various aspects of the industry, ranging from input suppliers to producers, processors, and handlers, according to the Wisconsin Pork Producers Association. We cannot forget about retailers and businesses that also benefit from the ripple effect of purchases. The Wisconsin Pork Producers Association said the way they raise pigs has changed in the last 50 years. While advancements in farming methods, technology and economics help the industry evolve, farmers and processors still make it their mission to provide a safe, wholesome and secure food supply for families. Farms of all types and sizes understand their livelihoods are tied to the land and to the health of animals in their care. The value of production from Wisconsin’s hog industry totaled $108 million in 2017, up nearly $23 million from the year prior. Cash receipts were valued at about $123 million, which was also an increase of almost $25 million from 2016. Swenson explained how the pork industry plays a key role in our culture. We all know Wisconsin is famous for beer and bratwursts. Swenson said Wisconsin is the top importer of sows at the end of their productive lives. We use that meat to make bratwursts, and we are one of the best producers of that summertime staple. As a consumer, I love the many options of pork available in the grocery store, and I admire the nutritional value of each cut. Each market hog represents 371 servings of pork that are packed with key nutrients such as protein, thiamin, vitamin B6, phosphorus and niacin. Pork lets us eat healthy while enjoying the delicious flavors that we love as seven common cuts of pork are 16 percent leaner and have 27 percent less saturated fat than 20 years ago. While we may still be months away from those summer days, we can always find an excuse to celebrate our pride for Wisconsin pork. Recipes, cooking tips and more can be found at wppa.org!

“How many of you come from a farm?” I always ask this question when speaking with elementary students. Occasionally, one or two students will raise their hands. More often, they tell me stories of visiting their grandparents’ farms on weekends or holidays. Our state is home to roughly 68,500 farms, according to the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. Wisconsin has farms of all different types, sizes and production methods. Whether they are dairy, pork, potato or cranberry, the people and the products that are connected to these operations play roles in our everyday lives. We all become part of agriculture when we eat our meals, wear Wisconsin fiber, or fuel up with ethanol blends at the pump. I am grateful to have been raised on one of the 96 percent of Wisconsin dairy farms that are family-owned because I gained hands-on experience in our signature dairy industry. That opportunity expanded my understanding of how food travels from the farm gate to my plate. With less youth having a similar background in agriculture, it becomes more important than ever to bring the farm into the classroom. For years, Alice in Dairyland has visited thousands of elementary students to share the story of Wisconsin agriculture. This year, the chance to connect with students will not be limited to my travels. Using a local production company and green screen technology to animate agriculture, Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin created a virtual fourth-grade video lesson, “Farm to Table with Wisconsin Dairy.” Students can now join me on a video field trip all across the state to discover healthy foods grown or produced in Wisconsin. They will also explore the state’s agricultural impact on Wisconsin’s economy. The innovative program is a perfect match for a Wisconsin History unit. The 15-minute presentation also meets Wisconsin Model Academic Standards for Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, Social Studies, Language Arts, Match and Nutrition Education. The video and materials are free for 4th-grade educators and can be found at WisconsinDairyCouncil.com/FarmtoTable. Plus, the website has additional educational resources with helpful links to partners in agriculture. Most students today may be generations removed from the farm, but thanks to technology, opportunities are endless for bridging the gap and planting new roots in agriculture. I truly hope this video will inspire our next generation of leaders to reach out to their local farmers and processors to visit a farm, expand their knowledge, and help their families make informed decisions in the grocery store. Some may even decide to extend a hand to agriculture by becoming future innovators in Wisconsin food, fuel and fiber production. The chance is just a click away! For more information, contact Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin at FarmtoTable@wisconsindairy.org.

Wisconsin has much to be proud of from our diverse agriculture industry to fruitful businesses. One of the best parts of my job as Alice is to share the success stories of those who provide food, fuel and fiber for the world. Those tales are becoming more prominent as Buy Local, Buy Wisconsin grants give a big boost to opportunities in agriculture. The grants were designed to help farmers, producers and processors grow their local markets. Take Brix Cider in Mount Horeb for example. Brix Cider started with Marie and Matt Raboin. The Raboins planted their first trees in 2014. Today, they have more than 1,000 trees and are still growing. Having experimented with ciders for more than 10 years, the couple had an idea of what they were getting into but were not sure how to source apples for their cider varieties. They needed an estimated 1,500 bushels of apples in the startup year which required working relationships with some of Wisconsin’s more than 300 commercial apple orchards. For Brix Cider, the Buy Local, Buy Wisconsin grant was ripe for the picking. The business had already crafted a few commercial batches of cider and started establishing their brand. Matt recognized Wisconsin’s apple industry has smaller orchards than other states where cider is more prominent. The grant gave them a chance to take a risk and innovate. “The perceived challenges of working with a lot of small orchards has led several of Wisconsin’s cider makers to ship in juice from out of state rather than sourcing locally,” Matt said. “The Buy Local, Buy Wisconsin grant allowed us to test out the idea of sourcing apples from a large number of small orchards in a way that could be cost-effective." Two years later, Brix Cider successfully sources apples from 18 Wisconsin farms to craft dozens of cider varieties. Matt said they keep costs competitive while still providing a fair price for farmers. “The relationships we’ve developed with the farmers and the unique ciders that we’ve made with Wisconsin-grown apples have become the defining feature of our brand, differentiating us from other craft beverage producers in an otherwise crowded market,” Matt said. Since its inception in 2008, the Buy Local, Buy Wisconsin grant program has funded 58 projects totaling more than $1.6 million. Previous grant recipients have generated nearly $10 million in new, local food sales, created 211 jobs, and benefited more than 2,700 producers and 2,900 markets, according to the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. The chance to strengthen roots in Wisconsin’s food industry is still available. Proposals for the next round of grants are due to DATCP by noon on March 20. A total of $170,000 is available in grant funding with the maximum award for each project being $50,000. More information can be found at datcp.wi.gov or by contacting the Buy Local, Buy Wisconsin program manager Kietra Olson at 608-224-5112 or kietra.olson@wisconsin.gov.

“If only it was that easy.” How many time have you caught yourself thinking or saying that when facing a challenge? Of course, our Wisconsin farmers and processors always have unique obstacles. Weather, technology, market prices, crop yields and animal health create constant risks in the industry. One way to support our state’s agriculture industry is to simply purchase Wisconsin products, but with thousands of food choices on the market for consumers, I know it will not always be that easy. I am grateful we do have so many choices in Wisconsin. No matter your preference of production, store shelves are stocked with safe, wholesome foods. While Wisconsin’s climate is ideal for growing many varieties of crops, our options for fresh produce obviously decline in the winter months. Thankfully, our Wisconsin processors made it effortless to enjoy the natural flavors and nutrients of these products year-round. Jed Colquhoun, professor in the Department of Horticulture at UW-Madison, said we tend to overlook the beauty of canned goods. Just take a look at our processing vegetables. They are packaged with basic ingredients, water and salt, inside a recyclable container. All we need to do is open and enjoy. I recently attended the 2019 Wisconsin Agricultural Outlook Forum at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. At the forum, experts in the industry provided the latest data and predicted the future for our diverse agriculture industry. Colquhoun addressed our state’s specialty crops such as processing vegetables. It is a big market for Wisconsin. In 2017, Wisconsin grew 6.56 million cwt of snap beans, more than any other state. Our farmers are also third in the nation for carrots, harvesting 2.52 million cwt in the same year. Cucumbers totaled 687,000 cwt, and there were 967,500 cwt of green peas harvested. From the ground up, processing vegetables have a healthy impact on the economy. Of the $3.5 billion of agricultural products exported to 147 countries in 2017, prepared vegetables were among Wisconsin’s most valuable agricultural export category. Plus, of the 413,500 jobs in Wisconsin agriculture, processing contributes 259,600. Every job in agriculture supports a nearly additional 1.5 jobs elsewhere in Wisconsin. Despite the abundance of these nutritious foods and the opportunities they provide for Wisconsin residents, Colquhoun said the United States vegetable consumption is dwindling. His numbers showed all categories of vegetables declined by 5 percent in the past 10 years, and canned vegetables were down 8 percent. Colquhoun pointed out canned snap bean consumption and price have significantly dropped. Our farmers are harvesting fewer acres of snap beans, but because we are becoming more efficient and productive, yields continue to increase. While consumer preference is just one variable in agriculture, it can have an impact on the prices farmers and processors receive for their quality work and passion. What can we do to help our comrades in the industry? Let’s encourage our friends and neighbors to revisit the canned goods aisle of the grocery store. Add snap beans as a side dish to tonight’s dinner. Our own neighbors and friends are growing some of the finest quality of crops in the nation, so let’s enjoy them together. It can be that easy. I've shared one of my favorite recipes below: three bean casserole! Three Bean Casserole Ingredients: -1 1/2 lbs hamburger -3/4 cup brown sugar -3/4 cup ketchup -1 large can baked beans -2 cans green beans (drained) -1 can butter beans (drained) Directions: -Brown the hamburger. -Add ketchup and brown sugar. Blend until evenly mixed. -Add beans. -Enjoy!

Mother Nature has shown her true color in 2019: white. This year, it seems we can’t escape the constant snowstorms and freezing temperatures. Bundled up in my Wisconsin mink coat, I am fortunate that my adventures have kept me indoors the past few months. Unfortunately, our farmers do not always have that luxury. Those who care for livestock face the cold, sleet and snow to make animal comfort their top priority. On my family’s dairy farm, winter chores always seem more laborious. Think of how much longer it takes you to get ready for the day. You have to find extra layers of clothing and clean snow and ice off your car before traveling. On the farm, we bundle up our cattle, clean off machinery that does not want to start in the cold, and begin a day of working outside. Wisconsin is home to more than 8,000 dairy farms that come in many different types, sizes and production methods. Personally, my farm milks 70 jersey cattle in a stanchion barn. Stanchion barns have stalls or beds for each of the cows, a gutter behind the cows to collect waste, and a walkway that stretches the length of the building. The use of our stanchion barn varies from season to season. In the warmer months, our cattle only enter the barn to be milked or to avoid poor weather. They each have assigned stalls, just like students at a school, and after milking, they are free to roam, eat and sleep outside. Like all mammals, cows only produce milk after having a baby, or calf. When they are lactating, cows naturally produce a lot of heat. They are often most comfortable when temperatures are between 40-50 degrees. As temperatures drop, we let our cows spend their days and nights in the barn. Plus, the cows’ combined body heat helps us avoid freezing pipes. The average cow drinks a bathtub of water each day, so we need to ensure they have plenty of it. We also give our cattle fresh feed daily. Every other day, we ask our cows to leave the barn so it can be cleaned. Old, dirty bedding is discarded, so fresh shavings and straw can be spread in the stalls. As strange as it may seem, we also run fans in the winter. Those fans provide appropriate ventilation to make sure our cattle are breathing clean, fresh air. While the barn is reserved for milk cows, we provide the same diligent care for all animals on the farm. Most of our youngstock are housed in a large shed. That shed has a curtain along the back wall that can be closed to prevent heavy winds and snow from entering the building. We use large, round fodder bales as bedding to keep them warm and comfortable. Their feed rations are also adjusted in the winter months for extra energy. Thanks to technology, automatic watering systems have built-in heaters to keep them from freezing outside. Baby calves become fashion stars during the winter months wearing stylish jackets and standing under spotlights. Those spotlights are actually heat lamps. On our farm, calves live in individual hutches or houses until they are weaned. We do this so we can monitor their feed intake and prevent illness from spreading among young, vulnerable calves. Those hutches are filled with warm straw, and on windy days, we use wooden boards to stop the wind and snow from blowing into their homes. Our calves may also receive extra milk for energy, and they are given warm water to prevent freezing. Just like those snowflakes that keep falling, each farm is different and has strategic methods to keep farm animals happy and healthy in winter. Only after our animals are cared for do we warm ourselves with steaming cups of hot chocolate made with real milk of course! I encourage you to do the same as a way of giving thanks to our Wisconsin dairy farmers who work tirelessly to protect their animals and provide a safe, wholesome and secure food supply for families.

We are in the month of love, and it is no coincidence February is also widely recognized as American Heart Month. Cards, chocolate and flowers are all sweet ways to tell someone you care, but cranberries go straight to the heart. More than just a holiday side dish, those tangy treats have a healthy impact on our state. It is hard to not fall in love with the history of cranberries. The cranberry was once called a “crane berry” by settlers because its blossom resembled a sandhill crane. Cranberries were first harvested in Wisconsin around 1860 in Berlin. They became Wisconsin’s official state fruit in 2004. Today, our cranberry growers produce 64 percent of the nation’s supply. To put the harvest into numbers, production totaled 5.37 million barrels in 2017, and each of those barrels weighed about 100 pounds. Wisconsin’s total cranberry production was more than twice that of the next leading state, Massachusetts. Those cranberries are grown on 21,000 acres across 20 counties in Wisconsin. The sand and peat marshes in central and northern Wisconsin create ideal conditions for the fruit. Cranberries pack a punch with a nearly $1 billion economic impact. The industry also provides nearly 4,000 jobs, according to the Wisconsin State Cranberry Growers Association. It warms my heart to share the story of our 250 cranberry growers. In October, I had the chance to visit a marsh. After slipping on a pair of hip waders and climbing into Wetherby Cranberry Company’s bog, I was amazed by the technology used during harvest. Contrary to popular belief, cranberries do not grow in water. The fruit grows on low-running vines in sandy bogs and marshes. Those marshes are flooded with water so the tiny, tart berries float to the surface. They are collected by harvesting equipment from late September to October. Fresh, Wisconsin cranberries are perfect partners for Thanksgiving turkey, but fresh berries only represent 5 percent of the total crop. The other 95 percent is processed into sauce, juice, dried fruit and other foods. In fact, cranberries are found in more than 1,000 food and beverage products on the market. We may be out of fresh cranberry season, but cranberries can be frozen for up to a year, so your local grocery store can carry this favorite year-round. Trying to keep up with my 2019 resolutions, I recently bought frozen and dried cranberries since they are among the highest of all fruits in antioxidants. Studies show antioxidants can help improve heart health while supporting a strong immune system. Cranberries are also great sources of fiber and vitamins. Since I’m always on the go as Alice, I’ve discovered delicious cranberry recipes that make breakfast easy and nutritious. I’ll share a couple of my favorites below! This month, I am going to continue sharing my love of Wisconsin agriculture. How will you let someone know you care? You can find ideas and sweet recipes online at wiscran.org, or by following Alice in Dairyland on Pinterest! Superfood Smoothie Ingredients: ½ cup yogurt ½ cup milk ½ cup frozen Wisconsin cranberries 1 tbsp. Wisconsin Honey Directions Combine ingredients in blender and mix well Add additional honey for extra sweetness Enjoy! Cranberry Breakfast Bites Ingredients: ¾ cup peanut butter 3 tbsp. Wisconsin honey 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 cup old fashioned oats ¼ cup dried Wisconsin cranberries Directions Combine peanut butter, honey and vanilla in a bowl. Microwave and mix together. Add oats and cranberries. Shape the mixture into individual cookies. Refrigerate and enjoy!

It is that time of the year again! Hearts, roses, and jewelry are found almost everywhere as Valentine’s Day quickly approaches. Personally, my eye is on the gemstones that reflect the Alice in Dairyland program and the love I have for our state’s current and historic industries. Thanks to the Midwest Jewelers Association, I travel with a constant reminder of Wisconsin’s diversity. I am proud to share the colorful story of the amethyst and citrines that make the Alice in Dairyland tiara complete. Our state has a rich heritage in mining, hence the miner on our state’s flag and the mascot of my alma mater. In the 1820s, settlers flocked to Wisconsin because of a strong demand for lead, according to the Wisconsin Historical Society. Wisconsin became the Badger State because few miners wasted time building homes or shelters. Some simply burrowed holes into hillsides. After the need for lead dropped in the 1840s, zinc became a popular element. Eventually, mineral collectors began using another popular element for custom jewelry: quartz. Quartz can be found in a variety of colors such as the rich, purple amethyst or golden yellow citrine. In 1984, the Wisconsin Jewelers Association, now known as the Midwest Jewelers Association, decided to embody this history with the Alice in Dairyland tiara. By creating a custom design rather than using a rhinestone crown, the jewelers increased the visibility of the program while sharing the story of agriculture. The first tiara created specifically for the Alice program was designed by Tony Denardo of Anderson Denardo Jewelers in Marinette. The 14k gold piece was crafted using eight native Wisconsin gems. The top was set with a natural Wisconsin Mississippi freshwater pearl, and the center was a 21-carat amethyst. Pairs of citrines, amethysts, and golden beryl surrounded the main piece. The newly designed tiara created a new tradition for the program. The Midwest Jewelers Association presents the outgoing Alice in Dairyland with an amethyst pendant to commemorate her year as the tiara is passed down to the next woman who embraces the position. That tiara was lost nearly six years later. Karin Burg from the Corner Studio in Sheboygan Falls re-created the piece, but Burg added her own touch. Instead of the freshwater pearl, she used diamonds to encircle the center scallop. By 1999, Burg modernized the tiara to the design I am proud to wear today. She spent weeks on the project making each piece by hand. As some people may have noticed, Alice does not always wear the tiara at events such as school visits, tours, or media interviews. In 2004, the Midwest Jewelers Association agreed to make a broach for those events. Goodman’s Jewelers of Madison made the brooch as a replica of the tiara and the gemstones native to Wisconsin. You may notice the piece adorning the top of the Alice in Dairyland banner. Although Alice in Dairyland wears a tiara and brooch, the woman selected for the role is no longer a beauty queen fresh out of high school as she was when the program started with Margaret (McGuire) Blott in 1948. Today, she is a public relations professional with at least three years of experience or education in agriculture, communications or related fields. The Alice program is proud to partner with groups such as the Midwest Jewelers Association to promote the diversity of Wisconsin agriculture, which gives the industry strength. As a new group of candidates begins the interview process to become the next Alice in Dairyland, it is my hope they too find a love for Wisconsin’s heritage and history of agriculture.

What is the future for Wisconsin agriculture? I recently attended the Wisconsin Agricultural Outlook Forum at UW-Madison where economists and experts shared their insight. Many hoped for better times to come, but there are several variables in the industry. Exports, technology, weather and labor are just a few of the complicated factors that impact our farmers and processors. The theme of this year’s forum was dairy farm consolidation. I was nervous to dive into this topic because almost everyone I meet has an opinion of what a Wisconsin dairy farm should look like. If there is anything that I have learned from my time as Alice, it is that our success comes from farms of all types, sizes and production methods. I was raised on one of the 96 percent of Wisconsin dairy farms that are family-owned. My parents continue milking a herd of Jersey cattle in Crawford County to this day. We sell our milk to a local co-op that developed in the late 90's. As I grew in the industry, I saw neighbors and friends innovate to meet the ever-changing needs of the dairy sector. Some restructured their farm management to become certified organic and receive a higher premium in that niche market. Others expanded their herd, which allowed the next generation to join the farm and made room for highly efficient technology. Personally, my family’s dairy has stayed about the same. We still milk about 70 cows on a 200-acre farm. Our state’s diversity is what makes agriculture so special. Wisconsin leads the nation in the dairy organic sector and has more dairy goats and sheep than any other state. Our infrastructure in the industry is designed to capture the unique value each farm brings to the table. We need farms of all sizes because they all develop our quality brand. Efficiency allows us to produce at a high volume, while specialty products help us gain new markets. For example, according to Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin, there has been a 45 million pound increase in annual Wisconsin cheese sales since 2013, and 62 percent of that increase was because of specialty cheese. Wisconsin is proud to be home to 8,000 dairy farms, more than any other state. While that number has decreased since I started my duties in June, the topic of dairy farm consolidation does not always shed a negative light on the industry. Another great challenge we face in agriculture is the aging population of our farmers. Collaboration can help the older generation of farmers do what they love with less labor while helping a younger generation step into agriculture without the capital costs of starting from scratch. Wisconsin’s dairy industry is truly a part of our economy, culture and future. It is on our license plates and favorite sports apparel. Of our total $88.3 billion agriculture industry, $43.4 billion comes from dairy alone. It fuels our state’s economy at more than $82,500 a minute. The ripple effect of that economic impact touches the lives of those who may even be generations removed from the dairy farm. The industry has certainly changed since my local milk co-op developed in the late 90s, but I do want to point out there are resources available to help farms with business and financial planning, transition and succession, production concerns, and counseling services. The Wisconsin Farm Center, part of DATCP’s Division of Agricultural Development, has been partnering with Wisconsin farmers since 1984. You can find their information at datcp.wi.gov. I am proud to be a part of Wisconsin agriculture, and I am excited to see how we will work together to keep the industry moving forward.

For weeks, some of the largest news stories have focused on our nation’s federal government shutdown. No matter where people stand on the political spectrum, we are all united by the need for a safe, wholesome and secure food supply. If federal employees are not working, does that mean federal food inspections halt as well? Growing up on a dairy farm, my family has always been subject to state and federal inspections to make sure we provide the highest quality of milk for consumers. Each inspection is a chance for us to learn what we are doing well and make improvements if necessary. Because of the importance of these inspections, I reached out to Jeffrey Swenson, livestock meat specialist, at the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. Swenson reassured me USDA Meat Safety Inspectors working for the Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS) are considered essential employees and have been working through the government shutdown. “Without inspectors, meat and poultry processing plants are prohibited by law from operating,” Swenson said. “If they wouldn’t be able to operate, 500,000 meat plant workers would be impacted and meat supply would be disrupted.” Swenson added DATCP inspectors are, of course, continuing their work at state-inspected facilities. Steve Ingham, the administrator of the division of food and recreational safety at the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, also offered his expertise on this topic. The federal shutdown had little if any impact on the inspections of retail food establishments like grocery stores, convenience stores, bakeries and restaurants, according to Ingham. Those facilities are inspected at least once a year by state or local personnel. While the federal government does not handle those inspections, it does oversee the FDA Model Food Code and coordinates the standardization of state and local programs. Food processing plants, food warehouses, dairy farms, and dairy plants are inspected by state employees about one to four times each year, but less frequently by federal inspectors. “Much of this federal work has been halted by the shutdown,” Ingham said. “Even when the federal government is open, the vast majority of inspections nationwide are done by state inspection staff.” As I gather around the dinner table and watch the latest news updates, I am reassured that even in the government shutdown, food follows strict standards for quality before it is shared among my family and friends.