Creeping across the pasture land. Got dirt on
the boots and a working hand. From the milk house
home to the auction call. These are the folks
standing strong and tall. Yeah, this is... Hey
everyone, and welcome back to the Bullvine Podcast.
I'm your host, and today I've got a story that's
going to completely change how you think about
agricultural advocacy. Forget everything you
know about feel -good farm PR and county fair
cheerleading. I'm talking about Sarah Hagenow,
Wisconsin's 78th Alice in Dairyland, and her
data -driven approach. This isn't your grandmother's
agricultural ambassador story, folks. This is
about turning sustainability metrics into profit
margins. and transforming show ring evaluation
skills into market positioning advantages that
secure premium processor contracts. Let me paint
you a picture. It's 2016, and 13 -year -old Sarah
Hagenow is walking through the barn at City Slickers
Farm in Cross Plains, Wisconsin. The morning
light is filtering through those dusty barn windows,
and she's approaching a pen holding a brown Swiss
heifer named Sassy. Now, sassy isn't your typical
show -stopping heifer. This girl had shattered
her leg as a calf. Talk about overcoming adversity.
She was, in Sarah's own words, going to fall
about middle of the pack at each show. But here's
the thing. What Sarah couldn't have known in
that moment was that this humble, middle -of
-the -pack heifer was about to become the catalyst
for a journey that would make history. Fast forward
to today. and Sarah is half of the first sister
pair to ever hold the title of Alice in Dairyland.
But more importantly, she's standing at the intersection
of tradition and transformation, armed with a
business degree, a global perspective, and an
unshakable belief that agriculture's future belongs
to those who can speak both barn language and
boardroom language. Now, let me tell you why
Sarah's different from the 76 women who came
before her. The Alice in Dairyland program has
a rich history. We even had Julia Nunes serve
two consecutive years due to COVID restrictions.
But Sarah? She's bringing something unprecedented
to the table. Ashley was a little bit more into
showing horses, where I went down the cattle
path, Sarah explains, talking about her sister
Ashley, who served as the 76th Alice. In school,
we've had different interests as well. I took
a little bit more of the business path. and she
took more of the marketing path. This wasn't
some casual decision, folks. This was strategic.
While traditional Alice candidates focus on communications
and public relations, Sarah brings a deep understanding
of commodity markets, supply chain logistics,
and the economic forces that actually drive agricultural
decisions. Her comfort with agriculture extends
way beyond show ring placings to the real decisions
driving modern dairy operations. Here's where
it gets interesting. Sarah's agricultural heritage
didn't start on some family farm with generations
of tradition. It started in the scientific precision
of animal nutrition. Her father, Bob Hagenow,
works as a feed nutritionist at Vita Plus, that
Madison -based company that's been building its
reputation on cutting -edge technology and nutrition
science since 1948. Picture this. Sarah's growing
up in a household where dinner table conversations
aren't about the weather or local gossip. They're
about dairy cattle, farmers, feed conversion
efficiency, and component optimization. Bob's
influence runs deeper than most people realize.
As a regional business manager at Vita Plus with
nearly four decades of experience, he's been
leading teams, maintaining key dealer partnerships,
and providing nutrition and business consulting
to farm customers. This guy has significantly
impacted today's producers through company -led
research projects covering amino acid nutrition,
housing developments, forage management, and
automated milking system technology. So when
Sarah talks about agricultural issues with producers,
it stems from someone raised in an environment
where agricultural discussions were grounded
in practical outcomes that directly impact the
farm's bottom line. But here's the most telling
aspect of Sarah's story. It's not her family's
influence that defines her. It's what she chose
to build with it. So we're back to 2016 and that
pivotal moment with Sassy. Mike Hellenbrand from
City Slickers Farm approaches Sarah about exhibiting
this heifer. For Sarah, who had been leasing
cattle from Langer Dairy Farm since 2013, this
wasn't just an opportunity. It was a character
test that would define her entire approach to
agricultural business. Mike Helenbrand had built
his reputation on meticulous care and incredible
attention to detail. His trademark became incredible
care from embryo to getting a healthy calf on
the ground that was ready to thrive at its next
home, as Bob Hagenow recalls from working with
Mike to establish feeding programs. The feeling
that Mike had put his trust in me to take on
this project and be responsible for this heifer
made me feel very capable and proud of the work
I was doing, Sarah remembers. and you can still
hear the wonder of that 13 -year -old in her
voice. Now, Sassy wasn't glamorous. She wasn't
going to win championships. But working through
the methodical process of preparing an animal
that had overcome adversity, Sarah discovered
something profound. Success wasn't measured solely
in purple ribbons. It was built on trust, responsibility,
and the patient work of turning potential into
performance. The real validation came after the
2016 show season at World Dairy Expo. Mike Hellenbrand
and his partners, Ken Main and Peter Vail, made
a decision that changed Sarah's trajectory forever.
They gifted her half -ownership in Sassy. Looking
back, it probably doesn't seem that significant
or monumental to have half -ownership in a heifer
that was just a 4 -H project, Sarah reflects.
However, it felt like the biggest accomplishment
and meant the world to me. From a girl who could
only dream of being involved in the industry,
mall, to finally having my name on a paper, I
can remember feeling like I had somewhat made
it and a new door had opened. That door led to
breeding her first heifer from Sassy, Sarbo Wisdom
Sassafras, with the prefix name being a tribute
to Sarah and her father Bob. When Sassafras won
the champion bred and owned Brown Swiss heifer
at the 2018 Wisconsin State Fair Junior Dairy
Show, it represented the ultimate entrepreneurial
milestone, creating a new asset from a previous
investment. For you dairy producers listening,
Sarah's journey from lease to ownership to genetic
improvement mirrors the exact same strategic
thinking that drives successful farm expansion
and herd development decisions. Sound business
principles apply whether you're managing one
heifer or a thousand cow operation. The skills
Sarah learned with SASE became invaluable when
she joined the University of Minnesota's dairy
cattle judging team. Participating in dairy cattle
judging was perhaps the most influential activity
I did as a youth to develop my public speaking
and critical thinking skills, she explains. Standing
in those Minnesota judging rings, Sarah practiced
a discipline that requires a rigorous analytical
process. Observation, analysis, decision, articulation.
In the show ring, Judges must rank four animals
comparatively while weighing dozens of dairy
characteristics, frame, body capacity, and mammary
system attributes. But the real test comes in
giving reasons, a formal, timed public speech
defending placings with precise, logical, and
persuasive language. I learned to identify precise
details and articulate those points with clarity
and confidence, Sarah explains. These same analytical
skills translate directly to helping farm families
navigate difficult conversations about expansion
financing with lenders, sustainability initiatives
with regulators, or succession planning with
the next generation. Situations where precise
communication and logical reasoning can mean
the difference between securing resources and
losing opportunities. Here's where Sarah's story
takes an international turn. In January 2024,
She embarked on a study abroad program in Germany,
focusing on renewable energy and climate smart
technologies. The program exposed her to the
integrated, community -based approach to sustainability
practiced in the town of Saerbeck, where municipal
renewable energy systems, geothermal heating,
and agricultural methane digesters work together
with comprehensive public education. Standing
in the bioenergy park in Saerbeck, witnessing
community collaboration that transformed a former
German ammunition base into a renewable energy
hub, Sarah gained what she calls diplomatic intelligence.
I was also just in awe of the communal support
behind such a large project. Farmers, civilians,
businesses, schools, and leaders have all come
together to realize this project, she recalls.
But here's the brilliant part. Sarah didn't come
back from Germany as some convert to European
models. Walking through Saerbeck's renewable
energy park, she found herself thinking not about
what America should copy, but about what Wisconsin
farmers were already doing right and how to articulate
that difference to skeptical consumers back home.
She developed this sophisticated understanding
of context -specific solutions. What works for
Europe works for them because of their specific
societal needs and historical development and
what works in the United States is different
and fitting for us because of our own societal
needs. This nuanced perspective transforms potentially
defensive conversations about American agriculture
into sophisticated discussions about tailored
approaches, crucial for an ambassador representing
Wisconsin agriculture on the global stage and
equally valuable for dairy producers who need
to explain their practices to neighbors and community
members. While most agricultural advocates focus
on either farm -level production or consumer
-facing marketing, Sarah's internship with Viking
Dairy Company gave her something rare, insight
into what she calls the middle of the supply
chain. The nitty -gritty of markets, purchasing,
economics, and logistically moving products excited
me because this area is such a critical part
of the whole that gets food to consumers, Sarah
says. and you can hear the genuine enthusiasm
in her voice. Picture Sarah standing in the Viking
dairy warehouse that first morning, watching
pallets move through complex logistical arrangements,
finally understanding the intricate dance of
transactions that transform farm commodities
into consumer products. This knowledge helps
her explain to dairy producers how their farm
gate decisions ripple through entire supply chains.
But her summer 2024 internship with the Animal
Agriculture Alliance in Arlington, Virginia,
fundamentally reshaped her understanding of agricultural
advocacy. Through my work at the Animal Ag Alliance,
my preconceptions of advocacy were challenged
by showing me that advocacy extends much further
beyond those personal conversations at events,
she reflects. Walking into those Arlington offices,
Sarah's eyes were opened to the strategic landscape
of engaging restaurant stakeholders, grocery
chains, food influencers, and nutrition organizations,
the crucial gatekeepers who shape food system
narratives. I realized that this group is critical
in supporting farmers, processors, and ranchers
by buying or promoting certain foods, she discovered.
This experience taught her that modern agricultural
advocacy requires understanding not just what
farmers do, but how their work connects to the
broader food system. The lessons learned in Sassy's
stall and refined through her internships proved
invaluable when Sarah faced skeptical consumers
at the Wisconsin State Fair. Perhaps nowhere
is Sarah's analytical approach more evident than
in her systematic framework for addressing agriculture's
most contentious issues. When confronted with
the emotionally charged question, why do you
separate calves from their mothers? At the Wisconsin
State Fair, Sarah didn't lead with industry justifications.
Standing there among the fairgoers, watching
their expressions soften as she connected an
unfamiliar practice to universal human experience,
Sarah realized something profound about the power
of empathy in advocacy. I said that it's ultimately
for the safety and health of the calf, just like
doctors for humans do a health check on newborns
to ensure that they are safe and prepared for
a healthy life as a baby, she explains. This
interaction helped me see the importance of relating
to others and being able to hear them out, no
matter what their initial perspective is. I truly
believe that listening with empathy is at the
heart of agricultural advocacy and allows us
to ground conversations by coming from a place
of understanding. This approach, connecting unfamiliar
agricultural practices to universal human experiences,
exemplifies her broader communication philosophy.
Her systematic communication framework could
be a model for farm families to navigate difficult
conversations about sustainability initiatives.
Sarah's vision for her year as Alice involves
striking a delicate balance between honoring
tradition and modernizing the program for contemporary
advocacy needs. She plans to maintain the strong
partnerships that 76 predecessors worked to establish
while embracing digital tools to reach audiences
beyond Wisconsin's borders. Utilizing social
media and digital forms of storytelling are a
great way to keep agricultural advocacy up to
date and take advantage of reaching audiences
outside of our local communities in Wisconsin,
she explains. But her modernization strategy
goes beyond simply posting more content. Sarah
sees an opportunity to showcase what she calls
the business and technology of agriculture, highlighting
the advanced systems that farmers use to enhance
sustainability and animal care. The Hagenau Flair
isn't a single entity, but a brand with two complementary
dimensions, Ashley's marketing expertise and
Sarah's business acumen. By differentiating her
approach while honoring her sister's contributions,
Sarah creates a compelling narrative around agricultural
expertise that spans multiple disciplines. Sarah's
approach to youth engagement reflects her business
-minded perspective on what is fundamentally
a human resources challenge. With Wisconsin's
agricultural sector supporting 353 ,900 jobs,
Sarah sees her role as showcasing opportunities
across the entire spectrum, from soil scientists
and truck drivers to food marketers and event
planners. I see a critical need to ensure that
positions all along the food chain are filled
to maintain the security and abundance of the
state's food supply, she explains. Her strategy
combines digital storytelling to virtually bring
young people to farms and processing facilities
with promoting long -term mentorship programs,
an approach she directly links to corporate talent
development practices. Long -term mentorship
programs are also incredibly valuable for young
people, which I've learned from my business experience,
Sarah notes. Standing before classrooms of students,
Sarah envisions more than just inspiring moments.
She sees sustainable career pipelines that will
ensure Wisconsin agriculture has the talent it
needs for the next generation. In an industry
grappling with labor shortages that have reached
crisis levels, her talent pipeline approach to
youth engagement offers practical solutions for
farms struggling to find reliable workers, transforming
agricultural education from inspiration to strategic
workforce development. Here's what you need to
understand. While traditional agricultural ambassadors
focus on emotions and marketing, Hagenow leverages
supply chain analytics, genomic testing protocols,
and component optimization strategies that directly
impact your milk check. As Sarah began her historic
tenure on July 7, 2025, she represents more than
just another year in the program's long history.
With an annual salary and the demanding responsibility
of traveling approximately 50 ,000 miles annually
across Wisconsin, she carries both the financial
investment the state makes in agricultural promotion
and the weight of unprecedented expectations.
When asked about making Wisconsin's $160 .3 billion
agricultural economy personally relevant to urban
audiences, Sarah doesn't rely on abstract statistics.
Instead, she grounds that massive number in human
experience. Three times a day, maybe less or
maybe more, every single person sits down and
has a plate with food on it. This mental picture
is one that every person can likely relate to,
and it brings them face to face with the product
and purpose of agriculture. Standing now on the
threshold of her year -long journey across Wisconsin's
agricultural landscape, Sarah Hagenow carries
with her not just the sash and tiara of Allison
Dairyland, but the lessons learned in a barn
stall with a heifer named Sassy. That 13 -year
-old who felt the weight of responsibility for
a broken -legged heifer's care has evolved into
a woman who understands that agriculture's greatest
strength lies not in the perfection of its animals
or the efficiency of its systems, but in the
trust placed between people who believe in something
larger than themselves. Serving as the 78th Alice
in Dairyland is a dream come true, Sarah said.
I can't wait to start visiting communities all
across the state, learning more about the diverse
people and places that make Wisconsin the agricultural
powerhouse it is, and giving voice to their stories
of dedication and inspiration. The morning light
that first illuminated her path to Sassy's Pen
has evolved into the bright spotlight of statewide
agricultural ambassadorship. The principles remain
unchanged. Earn trust through competence, create
value through strategic thinking, and never forget
that agriculture's most powerful stories are
rooted in the personal connections that transform
individual lives. As Sarah embarks on her 50
,000 -mile journey across Wisconsin, She carries
more than promotional materials and talking points.
She carries the business plan for elevating an
entire industry. In her hands, the Alice in Dairyland
program isn't just continuing a tradition. It's
writing the blueprint for agricultural advocacy
in an age when the business of believing in agriculture
has never been more important. The question isn't
whether she's ready for the role. It's whether
agriculture is ready for the kind of strategic,
analytical, and globally -minded advocate it
needs for the challenges ahead. In Sarah's story,
from that humble barn stall to the state's highest
agricultural honor, lies proof that sometimes
the most profound transformations begin with
the simple act of placing trust in potential,
whether in a broken -legged heifer or a determined
teenager who dared to dream beyond middle -of
-the -pack placings. So here's my challenge to
you, the progressive dairy producers listening
to this podcast. If you're still relying on traditional
farm tours and county fair conversations to build
market position, you're missing the sophisticated
advocacy strategies that turn sustainability
metrics into profit margins. Sarah Hagenow's
story proves that the future of agricultural
advocacy isn't about warm, fuzzy farm stories.
It's about data -driven approaches that deliver
measurable ROI, component -focused messaging,
strategic stakeholder engagement, and systematic
communication frameworks aren't just nice ideas.
They're profit drivers that can transform your
operation. The business of believing in agriculture
has never been more important, and Sarah Hagenow
is showing us exactly how to turn that belief
into bottom -line results. Thanks for listening
to the Bullvine Podcast. I'm your host, and remember,
in this industry, the numbers don't lie, but
the stories behind them can change everything.