Based on feedback received from county dairy promotion committees, American Dairy Association North East announced the following changes to the New York State Dairy Ambassador program, effective immediately.

Dress Code for County Promoters

  • To allow more autonomy and connection with the grassroots nature of dairy promotion committee programming, each county committee will determine the dress code for local activities.
    • This could include sashes and crowns or neither, as the county decides.
  • County dairy promotion committees will be responsible for purchasing their own items, which may include clothing, name badges, sashes, crowns, signage, etc.
    • See “Funding” section below for details on available funding from ADA North East to use for these purchases.
    • ADA North East will provide contact information for vendors to purchase sashes, crowns, name badges and clothing. However, counties are free to research and identify their own vendors as desired.
    • Red blazers will not be provided at the county level but may be purchased by counties if desired.
    • ADA North East will distribute name badges until the existing inventory is depleted.

Participant Titles

  • Participant titles will remain the same for all county dairy promoters: (Dairy Ambassador, Associate Dairy Ambassador, Junior Dairy Ambassador) and should be used to for both male and female participants, to ensure program continuity throughout the state.

Dress Code for State Sponsored Events

  • Events sponsored or hosted by ADA North East will have established dress codes that will not include sashes and/or crowns.
  • Crowns and/or sashes will not be worn at the New York State Dairy Ambassador training seminar and will not be part of the professional headshots taken at the seminar.
  • Similarly, crowns and/or sashes will not be worn at the New York State Dairy Ambassador competition.
  • The New York State Dairy Ambassador team will continue to receive red blazers and name badges, provided by ADA North East.

Funding

  • As part of this change, ADA North East will provide the same allocation of funds to each active, “registered” county as in prior years, but funds will be distributed differently. This change will allow county dairy promotion committees to receive more money up front, instead of at the end of the promotional year.
    • A total of $1,100 is still available to active, registered county dairy promotion committees in New York State (same as prior year).
  • There may be opportunities for counties to earn additional funding or materials by participating in ADA North East program extensions that tie into ADA North East program goals.
  • In addition to the cash funding to each registered county committee, promotional material kits will be distributed this summer.
  • The incentive program and revised handbook are under development.  The revised incentive program, updated tracking forms, and revised handbook will be reviewed in detail at the June 29-30 Dairy Ambassador training seminar.

Contact Beth Meyer at bmeyer@milk4u.org if you have any questions.