Candidates sought for Dairy Princess contest

Applications are open for eligible candidates to compete in the District 1 Dairy Princess contest. The District 1 Dairy Princess and her alternates will represent Humboldt and Del Norte counties.

The application deadline is March 29. The contest will be May 10 at the River Lodge in Fortuna.

Contestants must be at least a junior in high school and can be up to age 21 by the contest date and be unmarried. Contestants can qualify to be a candidate by fulfilling the requirements of at least one of the following:

• Have resided on a dairy cattle farm at some time during her life or be the daughter and/or granddaughter of a past or present dairy cattle farm owner.

• Be the daughter or ward of a person presently employed full time as an owner or employee of a dairy cattle processing plant or dairy distributor in California.

• Be the daughter or ward of a person employed full time on an operating dairy cattle farm in California.

• Be currently employed, or the daughter or ward of any person employed, in a dairy. cattle-related industry, such as dairy financing, sales or service; veterinarian; milk tank, grain or hay truck driver; milk inspector; grain supplier; hay dealer; alfalfa and/or grain producer; or raise dairy replacement heifers.

• Is or has been a member of a 4-H or FFA program where she participates in dairy cattle-related projects, raise and show dairy cattle and/or evaluate dairy products; owns or has owned her own dairy cattle.

Dairy Princess ambassadors and alternates serve a one-year term and are industry advocates in their home district and throughout the state, supporting the reputation of milk and dairy products through appearances at schools, fairs, industry meetings, service clubs and parades. The newly selected princesses and alternates also participate in a orientation week where they receive professional development coaching.

The California Dairy Princess Program has been in effect since 1958 and is supported by California dairy producers through the California Milk Advisory Board and by local planning committees.

Application forms are available at https://www. californiadairypressroom. com/ca-dairy-princesses.

For more information, contact Anastasia Stuyt, California Dairy Princess coordinator, at dairyprincess@cmab.net.