A sash, a tiara, a great story to tell

WAUSAU, Wis. — The next chapter in the story of Wisconsin’s treasured Alice in Dairyland program commenced May 16 as Anastasia Poull was selected as the 79th woman to represent and promote the state’s diverse agricultural industry during the finals hosted by Marathon County in Wausau.

“It truly is an honor to be selected as the 79th Alice in Dairyland,” Poull said. “The past few days, experiencing Wisconsin agriculture has been awe-inspiring and something that words cannot truly describe. I’m very excited to continue to experience this throughout my year as the 79th Alice in Dairyland.”

Alice in Dairyland serves as Wisconsin’s agricultural ambassador. The position has evolved over nearly eight decades to become a professional, contracted marketing and public relations spokesperson for the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. Throughout her year, Alice in Dairyland will work to connect consumers to Wisconsin agriculture through more than 400 appearances, 150 radio interviews, 60 television interviews, engaging social media content, and writing more than 100 articles for submission to local and state publications.

Poull hails from Port Washington and is a graduate of South Dakota State University, where she earned three bachelor’s degrees in animal science, agricultural leadership and agricultural science, along with two minors in agricultural business and communication studies. She also received a master’s degree in communication and media studies.

Life experiences have shown Poull the great diversity of agriculture and the impact it has on everyday life.

Through her studies at SDSU, Poull said she found a strong disconnect between producers and consumers — a gap she hopes to help bridge, sharing the story of agriculture.

“When I graduated with my undergraduate degrees in 2023, I was thinking about what kind of work I wanted to do,” Poull said. “I knew I wanted something that would include some travel, some consumer-facing events, kind of a mix of everything. When I explored the Alice in Dairyland position, I found that it provided an outlet for my passion. After earning my master’s degree and spending a year working back in Wisconsin, I decided to apply for Alice in Dairyland.”

Growing up, Poull was involved in 4-H projects, including horse and pony, beef and beekeeping. At SDSU, she was a member of the 2020 wool judging team and served as an ambassador for the College of Agriculture, Food and Environmental Sciences.

“At South Dakota State University, I connected with my fellow classmates who are from across the Midwest, as well as the country,” Poull said. “They demonstrated the passion and diversity that is abundant with agriculture.”

After her time at SDSU, Poull returned to eastern Wisconsin and her hands-on farm work at Red Line Ranch, a diverse farming operation that includes dairy, beef and sheep.

“Red Line Ranch is a terrific showcase for how much diversity we have in agriculture,” Poull said. “I just love seeing their passion, from early mornings that begin with 4 a.m. milkings, to late nights with lambing, it’s incredible to experience that and be back on the farm a bit.”

Poull said she will continue to work on the farm until July, when Sarah Hagenow, the 78th Alice in Dairyland, will hand over the keys to the newest version of the flex-fuel vehicle, powered by 15% ethanol E-88 gasoline, that will take her around the state, sharing the story of agriculture’s $116.3 billion economic impact.

The process of becoming Alice in Dairyland is a challenging and comprehensive one that begins with an application process in January, followed by preliminary interviews in February. The top candidates are named in March, when they begin an extensive education and training period where they gain insight into responding to current agricultural issues, working with television and other media, writing blogs and articles, public speaking, video production, developing social media content, and improving professionalism. They also hear from guest speakers representing key Wisconsin agricultural commodities. For their efforts, DATCP presents each top candidate with an agricultural marketing and communications certificate.

Joining Poull as top candidates were Faith Baerwolf of Columbus; Kelly Herness of Whitehall; Gabrielle Huitema of Markesan; Jessica Moor of Wilson; and Michelle Stangler of Watertown.

Poull said those marketing and communication training sessions were her favorite part of her experience as a top candidate.

“I love learning, hearing from industry professionals, the people who are in it every day, and the tours we got to experience here in Marathon County, as well as the ones I did myself, seeing everything that agriculture has to offer,” Poull said.

During the three-day Alice in Dairyland finals in Marathon County, Poull said her most unique and interesting learning experience came from Knowlton House Distillery.

“They take milk sugars and distill them into world-class vodka and gin,” Poull said. “They’re actually Wisconsin’s most awarded vodka and gin. That was something I’d never thought of or heard of before — what a unique way to create another use for milk and the byproducts of cheesemaking.”

Knowing she is part of a vast community of agricultural enthusiasts and now part of a unique sisterhood of ambassadors, Poull said she is enthused about promoting Wisconsin agriculture.

“I am looking forward to connecting with the people of Wisconsin agriculture,” Poull said. “Sarah did an excellent job, talking about the partners she has worked with throughout her year as Alice in Dairyland, and getting to experience that is probably what I am looking forward to the most, and just knowing that there will be this big group of supporters behind me.”