By Halei Heinzel

The first six months as Wisconsin’s 77th Alice in Dairyland have just flown by! In the first half of my year, I have had the opportunity of a lifetime, visiting farms, touring agribusinesses, attending events and engaging with school students.

As I reach the halfway point in my year, I want to reflect on some of these experiences and the privilege of promoting Wisconsin’s $116.3 billion agriculture industry.

After I was announced as the 77th Alice in Dairyland in May in Door County, I celebrated my graduation at the University of Wisconsin-Madison the following weekend. Eager to begin this role, I embraced the chance to carry on the special tradition of promoting Wisconsin agriculture. My term began July 8 after a few weeks spent learning more about Wisconsin agriculture and the Alice in Dairyland program, and gaining insights from the 76th Alice, Ashley Hagenow.

Each day is a new experience, whether through travel, events or connecting with people of all ages. My first events as Alice included reading storybooks at the Cambridge Library and attending the Jefferson County Fair — an ideal start to a year dedicated to educating the public about Wisconsin agriculture.

In my first few months, I attended major events like the Wisconsin State Fair, Wisconsin Farm Technology Days and World Dairy Expo. This fall, I especially enjoyed visiting classrooms through the Expedition Agriculture program to highlight Wisconsin specialty crops and working with the Girl Scouts of Wisconsin-Badgerland Council on educational beef and dairy farm visits.

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Diverse agriculture

Through various business and industry tours, I’ve deepened my understanding of the diversity of Wisconsin agriculture, from cranberries to mink, potatoes to honey and more. Preparing for the 78th Alice in Dairyland Finals, to be hosted in Crawford County this coming May, also has given me the chance to connect with rural communities in the Driftless area and explore the unique ag industry that exists there.

When not traveling across Wisconsin in my ethanol-fueled vehicle, “Tassie,” sponsored by the Wisconsin Corn Promotion Board, I work on social media content and monthly articles to reach new audiences within and beyond Wisconsin. I’ve especially enjoyed creating video content for followers.

Recently, I partnered with radio and TV stations to promote the Something Special from Wisconsin program and the importance of supporting local businesses during the holiday season. I also helped share Wisconsin dairy recipes as part of the “12 Days of Dairy” and collaborated with the Wisconsin Potato Promotions and Grower Auxiliary Board to bring potato-based education into schools, featuring a delicious recipe for Potato and Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Search begins for next Alice

As we move into the new year and begin the search for the next Alice in Dairyland, applications will open Jan. 2, with submissions due by Jan. 31. Interested applicants must submit a resume, cover letter, references, personal biography and application form. Qualified candidates will go through an initial interview process.

I am so excited to meet the top candidates for the 78th Alice in Dairyland and witness their special journey leading up to the finals May 15-17. To learn more about the application process, visit aliceindairyland.com. I look forward to sharing more of my adventures in agriculture for the remainder of my journey as Alice.

Heinzel is the 77th Alice in Dairyland.