SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Hannah Wieboldt from Orange County reigns as the 2026-2027 New York State Dairy Ambassador. She rose to the position on February 21 during a pageant held in Syracuse. Named associate ambassadors at the same venue were Christiana Borst from Cortland County and Kierra Knobloch of Cattaraugus County.
American Dairy Association North East manages the Dairy Ambassador program and will provide Hannah with a $2000 scholarship and an internship opportunity while serving as a spokesperson and advocate for all New York dairy farmers. Christiana and Kierra will each receive a $1500 scholarship.
Hannah is the 63rd dairy promoter selected to represent New York State’s dairy industry, a distinction that dates back to 1963. Her selection marked the end of the year-long term of State Dairy Ambassador Olivia Shawley of Cattaraugus County, and Associate Ambassadors Addison Brown of Onondaga County and Serenity Conklin of Chemung County.
Together, the new team will attend special events to engage with and educate consumers on the nutritional benefits of milk and dairy foods. Their messages will focus on how farmers care for their cows and their land in order to produce a sustainable product, and the importance of the dairy industry to the New York State economy.
“The New York Dairy Ambassador program is designed to build trust in dairy by helping our promoters develop essential skills to communicate with consumers,” said Director of Consumer Confidence Beth Meyer who manages the program. “We provide professional media training, social media mentorship, and opportunities to represent New York dairy farmers at consumer-facing events – building their resumes to set them up for success in life while creating life-long dairy promoters.
“We thank the outgoing team – Olivia, Addi and Serenity – for their dedication to serving as dairy advocates by providing media interviews, digital content and attending in-person consumer events. We look forward to giving Hannah, Kierra and Christiana the same experiences to successfully represent our state’s dairy farmers.”
New York State Dairy Ambassadors are selected based on their communications skills and knowledge of the dairy industry. The Dairy Ambassador program aims to build critical professional skills and confidence of young individuals who are passionate about the dairy industry. Ambassadors will be involved in statewide promotions and events, and will gain experience collaborating with a team, knowledge of ADA North East promotion and marketing programs, and will participate in sessions led by experts in public speaking, social media, team building and leadership.
With 2800 dairy herds and more than 16 billion pounds of milk produced annually, New York State is a leader in dairy production in the United States. The dairy industry is the largest agricultural commodity in the state, and according to the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, the state ranks nationally as the fifth largest producer of milk and is also the largest producer of yogurt and cottage cheese.
