Hagenow Elated About Her Alice in Dairyland Role and the Opportunities to Promote Dairy
Recently, Ashley Hagenow traded in her rubber boots for heels as she was selected to serve as the 76th Alice in Dairyland. Earlier this month, Hagenow began her term as Alice in Dairyland, where she will promote Wisconsin agriculture across the Badger State throughout the next year.
Growing up, Hagenow was very involved in agriculture through programs like 4-H and FFA. She served as the Wisconsin FFA Reporter in 2018-2019, along with exhibiting dairy cattle, judging, and numerous public speaking opportunities, too. She recently graduated from the University of Minnesota with a degree in Agricultural Communication and Marketing and was involved in numerous activities during college, including the Gopher Dairy Club, the National Agri-Marketing Association, Agriculture Future of America, and working for the Department of Animal Science.
Being selected for the role of Alice in Dairyland is a dream come true, Hagenow says, and she looks forward to connecting with consumers, farmers, processors, and everyone in between to talk about Wisconsin’s diverse, abundant, and dynamic agricultural industry.
“This program is so unique in that Alice is a true connection point to all of Wisconsin agriculture and its hard-working people, and after that connection is made, even more storytelling and education can take place on behalf of Wisconsin’s $104.8 billion agriculture industry,” she says.
If only one message could be shared during her new role as Alice in Dairyland, Hagenow says she would like to highlight the stories behind the hardworking farmers and processors who make agriculture a critical industry to the state’s economy.
“Each type of operation in agriculture is unique and produces a variety of commodities that are raised and made in our state,” she says. “Wisconsin is recognized nationally, and around the world, for producing high-quality products such as cranberries, ginseng, specialty cheese, major processing vegetables, and more, and our state’s farmers and processors all help to build trust in how the food, fuel, and fiber we use every day is produced.”
Hagenow plans to continue working in the ag industry and notes she plans to positively serve the hard-working people in the dairy industry.
But for now, Hagenow is grateful to all those that helped her to get to the main stage, allowing her to serve as the 76th Alice in Dairyland.
“I want to thank my friends and family from near and afar for the roles they all have played in my life - their words of encouragement and support have truly meant so much to me. I am beyond excited to begin this journey representing Wisconsin’s agriculture industry as the 76th Alice in Dairyland,” she states.
