78th Alice in Dairyland chosen in Prairie du Chien
Sarah Hagenow of Poynette was chosen to take up the mantle of Alice in Dairyland during the Finale Program on May 17 at the Prairie du Chien Area Arts Center.
Hagenow the second Alice in her family, will serve for one year
By Steve Van Kooten
The Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) announced the new Alice in Dairyland this past Saturday at the Prairie du Chien Area Arts Center.
After a three-day event that spanned Crawford County, Sarah Hagenow of Poynette became the next Alice. She will take over for Halei Heinzel on July 7.
“I am so honored to serve Wisconsin’s agriculture industry,” said Hagenow. “This industry means so much to me, and I’m so proud of what we have here. It’s so special.”
Hagenow edged out five other candidates: Allison Foster of Waupun, Michelle Stangler of Watertown, Mikayla Flyte of Coloma, Natalie Roe of Monticello and Olivia Lulich of Lyndon Station.
“Being a part of history is awesome, but at the end of the day it’s not about me,” said Hagenow. “This was such a top-notch group of candidates this year. To be picked out of all of these people is such an honor.”
Hagenow credited many people for supporting her during the selection process, including her sister, Ashley Hagenow, who served as the 76th Alice in Dairyland.
“She was a great champion through this whole process. She was one of my biggest mentors and was able to give me a really special inside view of what serving as Alice in Dairyland would look like,” she said. “To me, it’s so meaningful to become a part of another sisterhood with her.”
Crawford County hosted the event for the first time, but three Alices came from the county: Stephanie Binversie of Wauzeka in 1989, Cheryl O’Brien of Eastman in 2009 and Kaitlyn Riley of Gays Mills in 2018.
At the start of the Finale Program, Binversie said, “I was honored to be the 42nd Alice in Dairyland and excited when the county where I grew up was selected to host the event.”
“We’ve been extremely honored to host the Alice in Dairyland Finals and showcase America’s one and only Crawford County and its diverse agricultural landscape,” said Carol Roth.
Roth worked on the event’s steering committee and is the former executive director of Driftless Development, Inc. She claimed that more than 100 individuals and businesses helped sponsor this year’s event.
Dan Moris, emcee for the Finale Program, pointed out how Alice’s role has changed from a competition based primarily on physical appearance to a one-year professional contract since the position’s inception in 1948.
“Alice is a public relations and marketing professional with at least three years of experience in agriculture, public relations and other related fields,” he said. “Every year, the face of Alice changes, but she remains a unique custodian of Wisconsin’s proud agricultural heritage.”
A letter co-signed by Governor Tony Evers and DATCP Secretary Randy Romanski said, “Our next Alice in Dairyland will share the stories of Wisconsin’s $116.3 billion agriculture industry as Alice has done since 1948.”
In her farewell, Heinzel wrote, “Crawford County became a regular stop on my calendar, and every visit left me with a deeper appreciation for its people, its history and its agriculture.”
According to Moris, Heinzel traveled more than 45,000 miles during her time as Alice, visiting Crawford County multiple times for events such as Wings Over Prairie, National FFA Week and Arbor Day.
Heinzel also named Shelly Mayer, executive director of Professional Dairy Producers, as the 2025 Friend of Alice.
“She is a true force in Wisconsin’s dairy community,” said Heinzel. “She is a voice of leadership, a champion of farm families and an unwavering advocate for women in agriculture.”
