MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) has announced that Walworth County will host the 76th Alice in Dairyland Finals May 11-13, 2023.
Walworth County is uniquely positioned to host the Alice in Dairyland Finals in 2023 as the county hosted the 73rd Alice in Dairyland Finals virtually in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 76th 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 76th Alice in Dairyland Finals Committee Chairperson Susan Earle at alicewalworthcounty2023@gmail.com.
According to the University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension, Walworth County’s 941 farms manage more than 192,000 acres, or 54% of the county total. The county’s agriculture industry provides more than 4,900 jobs and $1.1 billion in economic activity, and ranks fifth in the state for the production of sheep and goats. Producing grain, milk, cattle, hogs, and nursery and greenhouse products, the county’s agriculture industry is extremely diverse. As one of the state’s top tourist destinations, the pastoral landscape is a valuable asset to the county.
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 76th Alice in Dairyland Finals and DATCP is currently accepting applications for host counties through the 80th Alice in Dairyland Finals in 2027.
75th Alice in Dairyland Taylor Schaefer will visit Walworth County more than 10 times prior to the finals. Her appearances will include stops at the Walworth County Dairy Breakfast, Pearce’s Farm to Table event, official first Christmas tree cutting event, and the Walworth County Fair. Each visit will bring an increased visibility to the many agri-tourism events and offerings in Walworth County.
The selection of the 76th Alice in Dairyland will take place on May 13, 2023. 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 finale events are open to the public and include opportunities to showcase the host county’s local businesses and products.
About Alice in Dairyland
Alice in Dairyland is a full-time communications professional for DATCP. The program is supported by several partner organizations, including Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin, Kettle Moraine Mink Breeders Association, Wisconsin Corn Promotion Board, Midwest Jewelers Association, Ginseng Board of Wisconsin, and the Wisconsin Beef Council. Taylor Schaefer of Franksville started her term as the 76th Alice in Dairyland on July 5, 2022. For more information about the Alice in Dairyland program, visit https://www.aliceindairyland.com/ and follow Alice online on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
