The local dairy industry is now accepting applications from young women wishing to compete for the District 5 Dairy Princess crown.

Current Princess is Emily Bavaro of Escalon.

The winner will represent the dairy industry in District 5 as a spokeswoman and will also represent the California dairy industry in appearances at schools, fairs, industry meetings, service clubs, parades, and with the media. The newly selected Dairy Princess and alternate will participate in a mandatory training, July 9 through 12, in which they receive professional development coaching.

Contestants must meet the following requirements: Be at least 17 years old by Sept. 1 of the contest year and not over 21 years of age by contest date; be unmarried; and family must own a dairy farm, work for the dairy industry or show dairy cattle for a 4-H/FFA organization.

More detailed information about qualifications can be found on the application, which is available at www.californiadairypressroom.com/ca-dairy-princesses. Applicants are urged to submit their applications as soon as possible. The application deadline is Thursday, April 18.

The contest is sponsored by the District 5 Dairy Princess Committee and the California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB) and will be hosted Wednesday, June 5 at Chez Shari in Manteca. The evening begins at 6 p.m. with a social hour and is followed by the contest and dinner at 7 p.m.

During the event, current Dairy Princess Emily Bavaro will relinquish her crown to the winner who will represent the dairy industry in Alpine, Amador, Calaveras, Contra Costa, El Dorado, Sacramento, San Joaquin and Yolo counties during the 2019-2020 program year. Scholarships will also be awarded.

Questions regarding the application can be directed to District 5 Dairy Princess Co-Chairpersons Kerri Visser, onthemoov@velociter.net or 209-765-4384, Anastasia Stuyt, a_stuyt@yahoo.com or 209-918-5680 or contact the CMAB office at cmacedo@cmab.net or (209) 690-8240.

California is the nation’s leading milk producer. It also produces more butter, ice cream and nonfat dry milk than any other state. The state is the second-largest producer of cheese and yogurt. Dairy products made with Real California Milk can be identified by the Real California Milk seal, which certifies that the products are made exclusively with milk produced on California dairy farms by California dairy farm families.

The California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB), an instrumentality of the California Department of Food and Agriculture, is funded by the state’s more than 1,300 dairy families and is one of the largest agricultural marketing boards in the United States. With a mission to increase demand for products made with Real California Milk, the CMAB is celebrating 50 years in 2019 promoting California’s sustainable dairy products in the state, across the U.S. and around the world through advertising, public relations, research, and retail and foodservice promotional programs. For more information and to connect with the CMAB, visit RealCaliforniaMilk.com, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.