The information below has been supplied by dairy marketers and other industry organizations. It has not been edited, verified or endorsed by Hoard’s Dairyman.

Dairy princesses from across Minnesota gathered for the Dairy Promotion and Leadership Event held May 17-19 at the Courtyard by Marriott in St. Cloud, Minnesota. The weekend consisted of a leadership training, a chance to compete for a finalist spot for Princess Kay of the Milky Way and plenty of networking opportunities.

The leadership conference offered the princesses a chance to learn about themselves and how to use their skills to promote dairy. They also learned how to be better advocates for the dairy community and networked with industry leaders and peers.

To compete to be a finalist for Princess Kay of the Milky Way, each princess had to submit an application, participate in a personal interview, prepare and deliver a speech, and participate in a mock media interview. From there, 10 finalists were named to go on to compete for the title of Minnesota’s 66th Princess Kay of the Milky Way.

The finalists include:

  • Kayla Biel, Harmony, daughter of Kevin and Kelly Biel, and representing Fillmore County;
  • Elizabeth Golombiecki, Morris, daughter of Julie Golombiecki and the late Ron Golombiecki, and representing Stevens County;
  • Donna Honer, St. Cloud, daughter of Scott and Toni Honer, and representing Stearns County;
  • Grace Jeurissen, Lester Prairie, daughter of Rick and Mindy Jeurissen, and representing McLeod County;
  • Elizabeth Krienke, Lester Prairie, daughter of Kraig and Rachelle Krienke, and representing McLeod County;
  • Amy Kyllo, Byron, daughter of Paul and Susan Kyllo, and representing Olmsted County;
  • Lexie Lange, Sherburn, daughter of Mark and Joanna Lange, and representing Martin County;
  • Rachel Paskewitz, Browerville, daughter of Alan and Vicki Paskewitz, and representing Todd County;
  • AnnaMarie Sachs, Eyota, daughter of Charlie and Carrie Sachs, and representing Olmsted County; and
  • Brittney Tiede, Le Center, daughter of Lloyd and Diane Tiede, and representing Le Sueur County.
2019 Princess Kay of the Milky Way Finalists. Front L to R: Elizabeth Golombiecki, Elizabeth Krienke, Lexie Lange, Brittney Tiede, Rachel Paskewitz. Back L to R: Kayla Biel, Amy Kyllo, Grace Jeurissen, Donna Honer, AnnaMarie Sachs.

These 10 young women will have their likeness carved in blocks of butter during the 2019 Minnesota State Fair. Princess Kay and county dairy princesses make appearances to help explain dairy farm families’ commitment to taking care of their animals and resources while providing nutrient-rich dairy products.

Midwest Dairy™ represents 7,000 dairy farm families and works on their behalf to build dairy demand by inspiring consumer confidence in our products and production practices. We are committed to Bringing Dairy to Life! by Giving Consumers an Excellent Dairy Experience and are funded by farmers across a 10-state region, including Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas and eastern Oklahoma. For more information, visit MidwestDairy.com. Follow us on Twitter and find us on Facebook at Midwest Dairy. For relevant conversations about issues and trends in the dairy community, listen to Dairy on the Air.