Midwest Dairy Ambassadors celebrate a successful year of dairy promotion

To kick off their year, all four ambassadors came together in early May to tour Rolling Lawns Farm’s Milk House, an off-farm micro-creamery and event center. They enjoyed lunch with owner Michael Turley, who shared leadership advice and led a creamery tour.  

In late June, the group engaged with consumers at the Winnebago-Boone Breakfast on the Farm on the Boone County Fairgrounds. They played Dairy Trivia PLINKO with breakfast attendees and had a great time interacting with and answering questions from community members. In late July, Ambassador Julia Czepiel traveled to Chicago, where she helped Illinois Farm Families build trust between consumers and Illinois farmers at the Square Roots Festival. She engaged with Chicagoans through “Farm Four,” a dupe for Connect Four, and a coloring mural. She enjoyed handing out Illinois Farm Families swag bags and engaging with Chicago consumers.  

To round out their summer, Dairy Ambassadors connected with consumers at the Illinois State Fair. They spent most of their time in the Dairy Building, proudly representing the next generation of dairy leaders. Throughout the fall, they gave 17 different classroom presentations. They also participated in Quad Day at the University of Illinois. To end the year, one lucky ambassador had the chance to host trivia at the Marcoot Jersey Creamery. 

Iowa had two Dairy Ambassadors traveling across the state to reach consumers and promote the dairy industry. They stayed busy this summer with many activities, primarily visiting different county fairs. The pair promoted dairy at the Jones County Fair, Buena Vista Fair, Sioux County Fair, and Mills County Fair. They volunteered at the Iowa State Fair, sharing dairy’s story at the Iowa Food and Family Project booth, the Dairy Goodness Barn, and the Iowa Department of Agriculture Land Stewardship booth.  

In addition to county and state fairs, they organized the Iowa Dairy Youth Communications Workshop and participated in various skill-building activities, including writing articles.  

Dairy ambassador Maggie Cronk’s article was selected for publication in the Dairy Herd Magazine. Madilynn Marburger and the Iowa Dairy Princess also helped boost dairy sales during an in-store promotion at the Johnston and Ankeny Hy-Vee.  

Thank you to Cronk and Marburger for their dedication to the Iowa Dairy Ambassador program.  

The Minnesota Dairy Ambassadors used this summer to sharpen their social media skills and practice handling challenging questions through various trainings. The group also networked with other agriculture professionals at events like the Women’s Environmental Network and the Annual Networking Night.  

They put these skills to the test at several consumer-facing events. Ambassadors enjoyed helping at the Undeniably Dairy booth during the University of Minnesota Goldy Run, where they shared milk samples and handed out cooling towels to 5K and 10K runners. They used this opportunity to share messages about cow care. At a St. Paul Saints game, they shared stories about cow care and comfort through games and a photo backdrop for sports fans. The cowbells attracted fans to the booth, creating opportunities for ambassadors to engage in meaningful conversations. The group also participated in the Minnesota State Fair, where they assisted Midwest Dairy staff at the Undeniably Dairy booth by managing the spinning wheel, asking trivia questions, answering consumer questions about the industry, and passing out cold milk samples to fairgoers. 

Each year, the Nebraska Dairy Ambassadors participate in a day of dairy tours. Due to the need to shift away from on-farm experiences because of H5N1, the new Summer Experience was created. This experience allowed the ambassadors to build knowledge and understanding beyond the farm and dairy management practices. The daylong event, held in early July, included a variety of dairy experiences, including making ice cream with Melisa Konecky of Beauty View Farm, learning from Chef Nadar of Billy’s Restaurant, and playing the “Add to Cart” game created by Midwest Dairy. Amy Schmidt, University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) Extension Professor, and Livestock Manure Management Engineer spoke to the group about different sustainability practices dairy farmers are implementing. Schmidt covered water recycling and soil health information and provided key messages that ambassadors could use when engaging with consumers at different events. At the Nebraska Innovation Campus, Julie Reiling, senior consultant at UNL Food Science and Technology, gave the group a tour of the Food Processing Center.  

Participating in the annual Dairy Dash was one of the main activities for the South Dakota Dairy Ambassadors. The Dairy Dash is a partnership between Midwest Dairy and the South Dakota State University (SDSU) Miller Wellness Center to build trust in dairy among college-aged students and families. This event hosts a 5K race and a kid’s “Moo Mile” held the same day as the SDSU Dairy Drive football game. Dairy Ambassadors encouraged runners to post milk mustache photos and sample various dairy products donated by partners. Kids were also invited to participate in an ice cream painting craft. 

Ambassadors attended county fairs, engaging with visitors at their booths. They interacted with families, children, and agriculture peers to discuss dairy nutrition products. Some of these fairs included the Sioux Empire and Turner County Fairs. Finally, ambassadors attended the Got Milk Gala. This gala featured engaging activities, including an art contest showcasing dairy-themed artwork and a comedy performance by Farm Babe, known for her wit and humor. This celebration showcased the dairy community, fostered education, and provided a platform for conversation.