Wisconsin’s state motto is “Forward” which reflects Wisconsin’s continuous drive to be a national leader, and was adopted as the official state motto in 1851.  Our motto is a part of our history, our tradition and forges us ahead to become highly advanced in our agricultural systems that provides our state with $59 billion worth of economic growth.

Forward is a part of our Wisconsin story, it is a story that is rooted in the soil beneath our feet.  Our story has rich history, challenges, perseverance, and innovation to lead us into the future. I want to use my voice as the State’s Official Agricultural Ambassador, Alice in Dairyland, to serve as an agvocate in action and tell that story.

During my career I have traveled throughout the state and across borders to share my story with audiences and inspire others as how everyone can become an agvocate for agriculture.  People who know me, who follow my blog, and contacts I have made throughout my work in agriculture all recognize and identify my passion for Wisconsin’s agricultural industry.  It was only natural for me to desire to share my passion as the 65^th Alice in Dairyland.

In the next few weeks, planning, organizing and executing my presentation during finals week in Grant County will ignite my pride and honor as an advocate for agriculture.  The tradition I am a part of as a 5^th generation farmer and my classroom experiences I have gained while earning my degree in Agricultural Business have made me aware of the changing trends in agriculture and the importance of being an aggressive supporter of new technologies and strategic marketing tools.

I will learn about myself, Wisconsin’s diverse agriculture commodities and systems, and I will become further educated while educating others.  I look forward to continuing the long standing tradition of the Alice in Dairyland program as a spokeswoman while having the opportunity to share my passion for farming, food, fuel and fitness.

Wisconsin agriculture is very diverse and valuable; in fact, it’s worth $59 billion to our citizens, and employs 1 out of 10 people.  Agriculture is not just what we do for our profession, it is who we are.  Our tradition of sustainable economic growth is put on the table every day.

Throughout the last few days, the excitement and buzz around the announcement of the 6 finalists competing for the title of Wisconsin’s official agricultural ambassador, Alice in Dairyland, have been showing up through a variety of news publications and social media outlets.  Although I have had confirmation of my advancement as a finalist for a few weeks, the official announcement has now been made.  Please see the official Department of Agriculture Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) press release by visiting http://datcp.wi.gov/News/?ID=524

Immediately friends began sending text, emails, and writing on my facebook wall with kind words of encouragement, congratulations, and all wishing me the best of luck.  Without a doubt, the best part of this process thus far, has been the continued support from my family, and friends.

No matter what the outcome on May 19^th, I have a once in a lifetime opportunity as a finalist and I will cherish the people, places and products I meet.

“The question isn’t who is going to let me; it’s who is going to stop me.”  – Ayn Rand

I strongly believe, that the yahoo who wrote the article posted on Yahoo.com about agriculture degrees being useless, should deeply regret posting that article.  Not only has the agricultural community rallied around this statement, but I, a college student have begun to think more about what my degree in Agricultural Business will mean when I receive it in May.

During a routine trip to GNC to pick up something quick this afternoon, the salesman asked to see my ID because I write, “SEE ID” on the back of my credit cards.  Why?  To prevent identity theft, and truth be told, not many people ask to see it.

I did not have my driver’s license on me, only my school ID card… this is becoming a habit of mine that has occurred too often in the past 6 months.  Anyways, he asked me what my degree was and I responded, “Agricultural business with a minor in International relations.”  He said with a surprising look on his face, “Wow!  Your degree is a lot more useful than mine and it sounds really hard.”  I asked him, “What’s your degree in?”  He responded by telling me he studied health and human performance, a popular degree at University of Wisconsin – River Falls but he mentioned that it’s much smarter to get a certificate in training rather than a 4 year degree.  He said again, “Your degree sounds like a lot of science and math; you must be very smart and hard working.”

I left with a smile on my face, and told him to have a great day.  Just a small victory for agriculture, but a powerful victory considering the article that recently caught everyone in our industry off guard.  I am proud to be a student in the Agricultural Business program and it’s no secret, I cannot wait to graduate.  I have not only learned more about agribusiness, but during my college career I have gained a tremendous amount of confidence in the knowledge I hold, in my leadership skills, and in myself.

My life story can get quite complicated, but to make a long story short, I quite college for 2 years and never thought I would go back.  But I did in 2009 and it was the best time for me and the best decision to come to the UW River Falls and study my chosen degree.  I have made friends, I have become a leader on campus within organizations and I feel that upon graduation I will have left my mark.

In my opinion, no degree is useless.  During your college years your life changes, you enter as a teenager and leave as a professional.
If someone is dedicated about furthering their education and expanding their minds, why would you stop them?
And WHY, would you call anyone’s passion useless?

In 2007, I was 20 years old and I weighed 220 pounds.  In January of 2009, I weighed 155 pounds.  While living in Europe, I was not able to work for 6 months, so I began my journey to a healthier lifestyle by exercising and choosing the right foods.
I tracked everything I ate, I ran 20 minutes 2 times a day in the park in Amsterdam and performed strength training exercises at home WITHOUT a gym.

My body image was always an issue for me, I was always called “big”.
I remember feeling loved by my family, but not by myself.
I had found ways to hide behind my clothes, my sense of humor, and often made excuses because I was so active with sports.
I decided to make a change for myself when I began my weight loss journey.

Lately, my life has taken a new turn and have decided to turn up the intensity in the gym and began a 12 week training program to increase my muscle and finally get to my “happy place.” I’ve devoted a lot of time to training, working out 3 times a day, including cardio intensity, strength training, yoga and eating every 2-3 hours.  I have shared my journey on my blogs and created a food blog dedicated to my love of healthy eating and cooking.

Why am I sharing all this?  Because as obesity and health related issues have increasingly become a concern, we as farmers and agriculturists have come directly under fire and into the spot light.  We grow food and we want people to consume it, so should we be concerned about these issues?  My answer is…YES!

It is everyone’s responsibility to care for their own health, and I am making my health and personal happiness a priority.
I am also sharing my story because some people do not know how to make the right choices and much of that comes from not knowing where their food supply comes from.
Choosing real foods such as fresh produce, meats, dairy products and nuts all in moderation are part of a healthy life.

Agvocacy is about educating consumers, and teaching people to choose Wisconsin grown apples rather than Twinkies.  Milk is full of vitamins and minerals vital to the growth of muscles and bones, especially after they’ve been put to the test during any kind of physical activity.  Cherry juice is full of anti-inflammatory’s  that also aid in recovery post workout, and whey protein, a bi-product of the milk production process is my go to drink first thing in the morning and right before I go to sleep.  It keeps my muscles fed and is full of protein necessary in muscle growth.

Wisconsin is incredibly efficient in producing all of these products!

Find out more at http://wfbf.com/education-ag-resources/ag-facts/

Not only during food check out week do we as producers and agriculturists have a duty to educate and agvocate for where food comes from, but to help consumers understand that choosing healthy does not have to break your bank.  Corn fed lean cuts of beef are a great source of protein and can benefit your heart.  Low fat dairy products such as milk, cottage cheese, and yogurt are vital to your daily diet and full of calcium.  Frozen fruits and vegetables are cost effective, and they keep you fuller longer.  Potatoes are a great source of carbohydrates and are very low in Saturated Fat, Cholesterol and Sodium.  They are is also a good source of Vitamin C, Vitamin B6, Potassium and Manganese.  Read More http://nutritiondata.self.com/

American farmers not only fuel our stomach’s, they feed our livestock, they fuel our economy, they fuel our cars with biofuels and they care.  Thank you farmers of every commodity, and thank you to all who are involved in the production and education of our safe, affordable, abundant and HEALTHY food supply.