Miss Wisconsin USA leverages social media to spotlight WI agriculture
EAU CLAIRE, Wis. (WEAU) - When Olivia Lulich was crowned Miss Wisconsin USA, she had a clear mission:
“My mission has been what’s called 1 to 100, where I support the 1% of our world population involved in agriculture who’s producing our food for all 100%.” — Olivia Lulich
This mission has taken the form of a series called "Ag Fact Fridays," where Lulich educates her followers about the significance and diversity of Wisconsin agriculture.
Initially launched in 2020, the series recently transitioned to short-form videos. Lulich, an agriculture teacher in the Viroqua School District, recognized the potential to reach a broader audience through this medium.
"I teach high school students and I don’t know if they always listen to me every day in the classroom. So it’s been really cool, even these two-to-three-minute ‘AgFact Fridays’, how much information that they’re able to learn about Wisconsin agriculture and being able to bring that back into the classroom." — Olivia Lulich
Beyond highlighting Wisconsin’s reputation as the "Dairy State," "Ag Fact Fridays" showcases crops like cranberries, soybeans, and horseradish.
Eric Rygg, president and owner of Silver Springs Food, had the opportunity to host Lulich on a tour of their horseradish farm, expressing his hope that she will continue to draw attention to the hard work that goes into farming in Wisconsin.
"There seems to be a growing disconnect between where our food comes from, and who the producers are, and how this food is made. So we really encourage this kind of information sharing." — Eric Rygg
Lulich believes that demystifying the agricultural process not only fosters a deeper understanding of the world but may also inspire more young adults to consider careers in this vital sector.