Meet the Candidates: Gabrielle Huitema - More Than Just a Milk Route

Growing up, my dad would bring me along on his milk hauling routes across south-central Wisconsin. While he pumped milk, I would find the barn cats, name the calves, and become fascinated by the occasional robot milker in the free stall barn. What felt like simple curiosity at the time was actually the beginning of something bigger.        

I began to ask the farmers and my dad questions, most of which starting with “why.” Why are these cows eating something different from those cows? Why do you need to take samples of milk to the milk processing plants? Reflecting on it, those questions were the spark that ignited my passion for agriculture.

My parents saw my curiosity from early on and provided me the opportunities to grow it through 4-H and FFA. I was able to take those “why” questions and turn them into experiences, like raising my own market lambs for the county fair or finding the biggest pumpkin in the patch and struggle to carry it back to the truck by myself. Competing in contests centered around communicating about agriculture further gave me the confidence and direction needed to develop me to be the person I am today.

Between questions from fairgoers and other exhibitors, showing market lambs at the Wisconsin State Fair and serving as the 2025 Green Lake County Fairest of the Fair reinforced the importance of value gained from every connection made. Beyond the show ring, I had the opportunity to intern with Impact Hampshires and Hilltop Dairy, which allowed me to experience different sides of the livestock industry ranging from creating high-quality sheep genetics to working with innovative dairy farmers. These internships gave me a deeper appreciation for the hard-working families that fuel Wisconsin’s agriculture industry every day.

As a senior at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls majoring in Animal Science with a meat animal emphasis, I see how foundational those experiences were in shaping my career path to working in Wisconsin’s $116.3 billion dollar agriculture industry. That same childhood curiosity drove me to become involved in Block & Bridle, the Livestock Judging Team, the Animal Welfare Judging Team, the Humane Handling Institute, and research through the Animal Welfare Lab on campus.

As a 79^th Alice in Dairyland Top Candidate, I will continue building connections and sharing the good news of agriculture because the same curiosity that made me ask “why?” now drives me to ask “how can I teach others and create meaningful experiences that share Wisconsin’s agriculture industry and empower others to tell their own story?”