Photo Courtesy of Shelly Gardner Social Media

Washington County resident and current Miss Elite Iowa and Midwest Agriculture Shelly Gardner will be competing in the upcoming National Elite Miss United States Agriculture Contest in Orlando, Florida, this June.

Gardner shares her platform with KCII News, “The platform that I have developed is family farm safety. It’s something that’s very near and dear to me. Being a mom, as well as being a firefighter and an EMT, I see a different side of farm safety than a lot of people may think. No one ever wants to respond to an incident on a farm. With this platform, I’m able to teach those safety aspects.”

Gardner shares what responsibilities come with her positions, “Mainly just working to teach and inspire, advocate for the agriculture industry, especially locally. I’ve been working with social media posts, doing small gatherings, working at different dining events, teaching more about agriculture. The crown and sash is kind of the conversation starter, and so I’m able to tell people more about Washington County and Iowa in general and the agriculture that we have and that we love so much.”

The competition will include an introduction,on-stage question,interview with the judges, formal wear and state fun fashion. Hear more from Gardner during a two-part JJ Nichting Company in Touch with Southeast Iowa program on air and at kciiradio.com.