More than 30 dairy princesses from across Minnesota gathered in Minneapolis May 15-16 for Midwest Dairy’s annual May Leadership Event, a weekend focused on leadership development, communication, and building skills to help them serve as strong advocates for dairy.
The Iowa Dairy Princess and Iowa Dairy Princess Alternate also joined the event, while last year’s finalists returned as mentors. The weekend also included judging for the 2026 finalists for Princess Kay of the Milky Way.
This year’s theme, “The Power of You,” encouraged attendees to recognize the unique strengths they bring to their roles as dairy advocates.
The weekend featured speakers and interactive sessions designed to give princesses practical skills they can use when connecting with consumers. Friday evening’s featured speaker, Donna Moenning, presented “Reflections from a Glass of Milk,” sharing personal stories and lessons from her life and professional experiences.
On Saturday, current Princess Kay Malorie Thorson led sessions on writing creative biographies and preparing for school visits with different age groups. Attendees also received professional headshots to use throughout their year of service.
Hy-Vee Dietitian Jena DeMoss presented “Dairy’s Role in Modern Nutrition,” highlighting key nutrients found in dairy, addressing common consumer misconceptions, and demonstrating an easy dairy recipe.
The afternoon featured Dairy Dialogues, where participants rotated through roundtable discussions on topics including social media, calf care communication, goal setting, supporting the next generation, relationship building, and opportunities within the princess program. Presenters included agriculture and communications professionals from Minnesota Pork, Vita Plus, Compeer Financial, Minnesota Dairy Initiative, Minnesota Farm Bureau, and Midwest Dairy.
The weekend concluded with a make-and-take activity led by Princess Coordinator Janet Bremer. Attendees created trivia wheels they can use at county events to engage consumers and encourage conversations about dairy.
Through leadership training, networking, and hands-on activities, the May Leadership Event gave dairy princesses new knowledge and practical skills to carry into their communities. More importantly, the weekend helped prepare the next generation of dairy advocates to confidently share their stories and connect consumers with the people behind their food.