There's no secret that the Ag industry has a lot of different commodities. It's also no secret that those commodity groups have a lot of royalty; young men and women who serve as ambassadors traveling to promotional events, across the country in some instances, to share their knowledge and passion for the industry to consumers. I have personally interacted with commodity royalty for pork, beef, dairy, and even honey associations and I know there are a lot more young people with crowns and sashes out there for the Ag industry. While the products we promote are different, there are a few things we can all relate to:
1. A year filled with lots of hugs and pictures- Little girls always dream of meeting princesses. To them, you are Cinderella. Their eyes always light up as they bashfully ask to take a picture with you and give you a hug. It's moments like these that make us feel like we ARE Cinderella. We don't descriminate our photo ops either: new born to elderly, American or International, we have pictures with all kinds of kinds!
2. Mastering the ability to do anything in a crown and sash- Whether it's handing out ribbons during a show, milking cows, serving food during fair, or pulling pigs you probably have a picture of yourself doing it in full queen attire. I know for a fact that the Iowa State Fair has recorded proof of myself and other pork royals pulling piglets in a dress, sash, and crown. They may not be outfits of choice for the situation given, but hey when duty calls you gotta do what you gotta do! We also have clever tips and hacks to jimmy rig a crown so it doesn't hurt after wearing it for a full day of promoting.
3. Learning how to handle the haters- Every aspect of the agriculture industry has those people or groups that will always be against them, especially the meat industry. As the "poster child" for these industries you automatically have a target on your back for these people and their misguided arguments. After a year of dealing with the Negative Nancy's you are a pro at not only having the patience to avoid conflict with them, but being confident that you can create a valid argument for the industry you are proud to be representing.
4. The realization of just how little consumers know about their food- Through my year reign as a commodity ambassador, I came to the startling realization that a good majority of consumers do not know the difference between pork, chicken, or beef unless they are told what they are eating. They also have never been on a modern day farm or know what goes on there. They only know what they see on TV or the Internet, which can be extremely misleading. It doesn't take long for you to figure out what you're really at promotional events for all summer: to be an approachable face for consumers who have sincere questions about their food and to make sure they are getting the correct information from someone who knows the industry first hand.
5. A lifelong desire to educate others about Ag- You thought you were passionate about your industry before your reign, but once you pass on the title it's stronger than ever. You have built up an insane amount of knowledge and experiences on your commodity that you just feel the need to share it with everybody! You truly become a lifelong Agvocate for not only your specific commodity but the Ag industry as a whole and you don't take that title lightly!
Serving the Ag industry as an ambassador for an entire year is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity that you would not trade for anything. It's more than a title. It's more than a crown. It's more than a sash. It's being that bridge between the industry and consumers to help bring the two sides closer together and minimizing that gap.
1. A year filled with lots of hugs and pictures- Little girls always dream of meeting princesses. To them, you are Cinderella. Their eyes always light up as they bashfully ask to take a picture with you and give you a hug. It's moments like these that make us feel like we ARE Cinderella. We don't descriminate our photo ops either: new born to elderly, American or International, we have pictures with all kinds of kinds!
2. Mastering the ability to do anything in a crown and sash- Whether it's handing out ribbons during a show, milking cows, serving food during fair, or pulling pigs you probably have a picture of yourself doing it in full queen attire. I know for a fact that the Iowa State Fair has recorded proof of myself and other pork royals pulling piglets in a dress, sash, and crown. They may not be outfits of choice for the situation given, but hey when duty calls you gotta do what you gotta do! We also have clever tips and hacks to jimmy rig a crown so it doesn't hurt after wearing it for a full day of promoting.
3. Learning how to handle the haters- Every aspect of the agriculture industry has those people or groups that will always be against them, especially the meat industry. As the "poster child" for these industries you automatically have a target on your back for these people and their misguided arguments. After a year of dealing with the Negative Nancy's you are a pro at not only having the patience to avoid conflict with them, but being confident that you can create a valid argument for the industry you are proud to be representing.
4. The realization of just how little consumers know about their food- Through my year reign as a commodity ambassador, I came to the startling realization that a good majority of consumers do not know the difference between pork, chicken, or beef unless they are told what they are eating. They also have never been on a modern day farm or know what goes on there. They only know what they see on TV or the Internet, which can be extremely misleading. It doesn't take long for you to figure out what you're really at promotional events for all summer: to be an approachable face for consumers who have sincere questions about their food and to make sure they are getting the correct information from someone who knows the industry first hand.
5. A lifelong desire to educate others about Ag- You thought you were passionate about your industry before your reign, but once you pass on the title it's stronger than ever. You have built up an insane amount of knowledge and experiences on your commodity that you just feel the need to share it with everybody! You truly become a lifelong Agvocate for not only your specific commodity but the Ag industry as a whole and you don't take that title lightly!
Serving the Ag industry as an ambassador for an entire year is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity that you would not trade for anything. It's more than a title. It's more than a crown. It's more than a sash. It's being that bridge between the industry and consumers to help bring the two sides closer together and minimizing that gap.