Release Date: May 22, 2019
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Media Contact: Rick Hummell, Communications
Specialist
608-224-5041, richard.hummell@wi.gov
MADISON – Walworth County will host the 73rd annual Alice in Dairyland Finals events in May
2020. Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection
Secretary Brad Pfaff made the announcement Saturday, May 11 during the Finale
event for the selection of the 72nd Alice
in Dairyland, held in Green County.
Walworth County is uniquely positioned to host the Alice in
Dairyland Finals, with three former Alices currently residing there. Former
Alices Kim Flitcroft, Kris Welsh and Holly Crowley – along with a wealth of
volunteers throughout the community – will plan and produce the 73rd Alice
Finals. The 73rd Alice in Dairyland Finals planning committee invites
individuals from Walworth County and surrounding communities with an interest
in donating their time or resources to contact AliceinDairyland2020@gmail.com.
According to the University of Wisconsin Extension Service,
Walworth County farmers own and manage more than 187,000 acres, or 53 percent,
of the county’s land (2014 report). This includes cropland, rangeland, pasture,
tree farms and farm forests. Agriculture works hard for Walworth County every
day, with family owned farms, food processors and agriculture-related businesses
generating thousands of jobs and millions of dollars of economic activity while
contributing to local income and tax revenues. Although the population has
increased significantly in the past decade, well over half of the county is
still farmland. As one of the state’s top tourist destinations, the pastoral
landscape is a valuable asset to the county. Agriculture in the county is
extremely diverse, and in addition to production grain and dairy, includes a
wide range of livestock and horticultural crops. Direct marketing of
vegetables, meat and poultry, cheese, and fruits is a rapidly growing segment.
Alice in Dairyland is a communications professional who works
to educate the public about Wisconsin agriculture. Each May, a new Alice is
selected from a group of candidates during an extensive public job interview
process, and, each year, a different county hosts the finals. Walworth County
will host the 73rd Alice in Dairyland Finals; Dunn County will host
the 74th, and Dane County will host the 75th.
Abigail Martin of Milton will start work June 3 as the 72nd
Alice. Throughout her year, Martin will visit Walworth County more than 10 times
during the lead-up to the 2020 finals. Her appearances will include stops at
the Dairy Breakfast, Wisconsin Christmas Tree Convention, and Walworth County
Fair. Each visit will bring an increased visibility to the many noteworthy
agri-tourism events and offerings in Walworth County.
The selection of the 73rd Alice
in Dairyland will take place May 14-16, 2020. The Alice in Dairyland interview
process includes the three-day finals event each May, as well as a two-day
briefing event several weeks earlier. These events include press conferences,
agribusiness tours, interviews with local media, and speeches. Some of the
final interview events are open to the public and include opportunities to
showcase the host county’s local businesses and products.
Learn more about the Alice in Dairyland program at https://datcp.wi.gov/Pages/Growing_WI/AliceInDairyland.aspx
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