Contributed report
Minnesota’s dairy community will once again kick off the Great Minnesota Get-Together by celebrating the coronation of the 70th Princess Kay of the Milky Way Wednesday evening, Aug. 23.
Reigning Princess Kay Rachel Rynda of Montgomery, representing Le Sueur County, will pass her crown on to one of 10 county dairy princesses vying for the title.
Princess Kay of the Milky Way serves as the official goodwill ambassador and spokesperson for Minnesota’s 1,850 dairy farmers. Just like her predecessors, this year’s Princess Kay of the Milky Way will serve as a leader who brings dairy to life by talking with fairgoers, making educational classroom visits throughout the year, and connecting with people in the community at public events and more.
Among the finalists for the title of 2023-2024 Princess Kay of the Milky Way are Wright County representatives Jalyssa Beaudry, of Otsego and Katherine Hills of Monticello.
Each year, young women across Minnesota are crowned county dairy princesses. In May, county dairy princesses are encouraged to attend a dairy promotion and leadership event and participate in judging to become a Princess Kay finalist. Dairy princesses are selected based on their communication skills, personality, general knowledge of the dairy community and its products, and their commitment to dairy promotion. The program gives many young women the opportunity to represent the dairy farming lifestyle.
Dairy princesses serve as spokespeople to consumers, conduct media interviews, make classroom visits to educate students about dairy, give speeches to various organizations and make public appearances at promotions or events. Princess Kay candidates and Minnesota’s county dairy princesses are daughters of dairy farmers, employees of dairy farms, daughters of dairy farm employees or involved in raising or leasing dairy animals. They must be at least graduating seniors in high school when crowned and not yet 24 years old, and they must not be married.