The Brown Swiss Association has selected four individuals to compete for the Youth Ambassador position. The National Youth Ambassador supports and promotes the Brown Swiss Cattle Breeders' Association and National Programs. An Ambassador and alternate will be chosen at the National Brown Swiss convention in East Peoria, Ill., from June 25-27.


Annie Achen, Warner, S.D., is the 19-year-old daughter of Craig and Cindy Achen. She has held many leadership positions in FFA and was the National Brown Swiss Speech Winner in 2012 with her speech, "Big Brown Polled Cow." Achen hopes to work for an agriculture-related company in public relations upon graduation from Purdue University. She also hopes to work as an EMT at some point in her career. Annie plans to hold an internship each summer through college.


Kimberly Merlau, Arcade, N.Y., is the 19-year-old daughter of Douglas and MaryLou Merlau. She currently attends SUNY Cobleskill College pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Agricultural Business Management. Merlau has received numerous awards in both 4-H and FFA, having held leadership positions in FFA. Merlau has raised Brown Swiss with her family her whole life and looks forward to her future in Brown Swiss.


Elisabeth Regusci, Modesto, Calif., is the 16-year-old daughter of John and Carol Regusci. She shows her Brown Swiss under the Top diMark prefix with her twin sister, Elise, and older brother, John. Regusci is a junior at Ripon Christian High School where she maintains a 3.9 grade point average. She has achieved many awards in FFA, the National Holstein Association, and the National Brown Swiss Association, including being the 2013 National Brown Swiss Achievement Winner. Regusci plans to attend a 4-year college and major in Dairy Science with the future goal of becoming a bovine veterinarian.


Grant Voelker, Perryville, Mo., is the 19-year-old son of Charles and Nancy Voelker. He currently attends the University of Missouri. Voelker assists with many duties on the farm, including milking, feeding, field work, and even AI work. He is very involved in FFA and 4-H Dairy Judging as well as Dairy Quiz Bowl. Voelker has been a two-time winner of the National Youth Cheese Yield Contest with two different cows as well. Voelker states, "I have a real passion for agriculture and the dairy industry and that is why I want to become an agriculture teacher and help promote agriculture and the big brown cow." After graduation, he hopes to be the fourth generation on the family farm.

To participate in the Youth Ambassador program, a youth must be a Brown Swiss National Junior member as defined by owning or leasing a registered Brown Swiss animal and be 9-21 years of age as of January 1 of the current year. For more information contact Junior Advisor Charlotte Muenzenberger at cmuenzenberger@brownswissusa.com, call the Brown Swiss Association at 608-365-4474 or visit the website: www.brownswissusa.com.

The Brown Swiss Association was established in 1880, registers about 10,000 animals per year and serves about 1800 combined Adult and Junior Members.

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5.29.2014