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WINDSOR, Wis. - Over the next year, Kristin (Natzke) Olson will make appearances at approximately 400 different events. On top of that, she will visit 4th grade students in 300 different classrooms, conduct countless media interviews and log 40,000 miles on a Chevy Tahoe fueled by ethanol produced in Wisconsin.
Over the next year, Kristin Olson will serve as Wisconsin's 66th Alice in Dairyland.
On May 10, Olson, of Windsor, Wis., was chosen to be Wisconsin's official agriculture ambassador during a finale ceremony in Brillion, Wis. She was one of four 2013 Alice in Dairyland finalists.
"It was very exciting," Olson said. "The process was a great experience. It was a huge honor to be selected."
To Olson, serving as Alice in Dairyland is a culmination of the many experiences that have led up to this point in her life.
Olson, who is married to Trent Olson, grew up on her family's dairy farm, Crestbrooke Holsteins and Jerseys, near Fond du Lac, Wis. Following high school, Olson attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She was active in Association of Women in Agriculture, Badger Dairy Club and the National Agri-Marketing Association, and spent time interning with Accelerated Genetics, with the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board and with the Wisconsin State Fair's Wisconsin House of Moo. Olson's achievements include being named the 2007 Fond du Lac County Fairest of the Fair, and being named a National Holstein Distinguished Junior Member Semi-Finalist and Wisconsin Holstein Outstanding Girl, both in 2009. She graduated in 2010 with a degree in life sciences communications. Since then, Olson has been working as the dairy advertising coordinator at Accelerated Genetics in Baraboo, Wis.
Despite her life-long love of the dairy industry, becoming Alice in Dairyland was not something Olson dreamed about as a little girl. Rather, it became an opportunity that she strove for as her pride in the dairy industry deepened throughout her childhood and early adult years.
Olson's first exposure to Alice in Dairyland came as a 4th grader, when Alice visited her classroom.
"That was my first experience - when she visited my 4th grade classroom. [After that] I looked up to the different Alices throughout the years," Olson said. "All of the experiences [I have had] have helped me grow and build that passion to share agriculture's story with consumers and producers. This is my chance to share my story and be an ag ambassador for Wisconsin agriculture."
Her path to becoming the 66th Alice in Dairyland was a rigorous one.
"It was about a six month process, starting in January with filling out an application," Olson said.
From there, individual applicants were selected for interviews, and in March, four finalists were named: Olson; Beth Babcock of Wisconsin Dells, Wis.; Marie Mahaney of Milwaukee, Wis.; and Tammy Wiedenbeck of Lancaster, Wis. On May 10, the 66th Alice in Dairyland was named during the finale of a three day training and selection process that included radio and TV interviews, tours and interaction with the selection panel.
"It was a pretty intense three days," Olson said. "But it was a great experience and great exposure."
It may have been intense, but Olson had a large fan club to keep her going, which included her mother-in-law, Beth (Aarsvold) Olson, who was crowned Princess Kay of the Milky Way in 1977.
"I have a really good support system," Olson said.
While she was named Alice in Dairyland on May 10, Olson won't take on the role officially until June 3. At that time, she will begin her full-time, one-year commitment with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection.
"I'm ready to hit the ground running," she said.
Her role as Alice in Dairyland will focus not only on promoting the Wisconsin dairy industry, but on promoting the Wisconsin's $59 billion agriculture industry as a whole.
"Dairy is a big part of it, but I will encompass the whole agriculture industry in the state," she said.
During her reign, Olson is looking forward to spreading the agriculture message to all audiences, she said. She is also excited to deepen her own knowledge of the industry as she shares her experiences with others.
"I'm looking forward to really growing as a person throughout the year," Olson said.
"This is really an experience of a lifetime," she said. "There have only been 65 Alices before me. It's a very unique opportunity, and one I didn't feel I could pass up."[[In-content Ad]]

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