TRACY, Calif. – April 10, 2023 – Emma Stafford of Petaluma was selected as the 2023 Dairy Princess for the California Milk Advisory Board’s (CMAB) District 2 in a crowning event on Saturday, April 1, 2023.
Emma will represent District 2, which includes Lake, Marin, Mendocino, Napa, Solano, and Sonoma counties. As Dairy Princess, she will play a key role on the CMAB’s Communications Services team in meeting community relations objectives.
Emma is the daughter of Lance and Dana Stafford. She is a senior at Petaluma High School and plans to attend California State University, Chico to pursue a degree in Animal Science. Emma is currently employed at Beretta Dairy, and she has been raising and showing dairy cattle since she was 9 years old. She has served as the Petaluma Future Farmers of America Treasurer, Vice President, and President. She has also served as the Future Farmers of America Sonoma Section President, the North Coast Region Vice President for the Sonoma Section, and the North Coast Region Secretary. Emma is a member of the National Holstein Association, the California Holstein Association, and the Redwood Empire Holstein Association.
Crowned 1st Alternate Dairy Princess, Tauni Fasano, the daughter of Michael and Tina Fasano, comes from a generational dairy family, Ferreira & Son Dairy. She shows dairy cattle at the local county fair, and she is competing on the Sebastopol Future Farmers of America dairy judging team. Tauni is a senior at Analy High School and plans to attend Santa Rosa Junior College before transferring to a 4-year university to pursue a degree in Agribusiness. Tauni is an active member of Sebastopol Future Farmers of America, was on the Rancho Cotate High School swim team, and served as the Rancho Cotate High School class treasurer as a freshman. Tauni has been a member of the Rohnert Park Girls Softball Association for 5 years, and the Gold Ridge 4-H for 2 years where she served as Sergeant at Arms.
In addition to her title, Emma won the Isolena Maestretti “Miss Vitality” Award which includes a scholarship. The Florence Gilardoni Scholarship presented by the North Bay Dairy Women was awarded to Tauni. Ryan McDonald was the recipient of the Bernice Hadermann Scholarship, also presented by the North Bay Dairy Women.
Tauni will assist the new District 2 Dairy Princess in her duties, which include speaking on behalf of the California dairy industry to various audiences throughout the year.
As Dairy Princess and Alternate, Emma and Tauni will attend a professional development training focused on presentation skills, advocating for the California dairy industry, leadership, and business etiquette.
Candidates were judged on speaking ability, education, dairy background, poise, and personality. Judges for the contest were Kris Costa of Chico, Sales and Marketing at Golden State Farm Credit, Jody Macon of Auburn, Retired from Northern California Farm Credit, and Joan Carillo of Acampo, 1965 District 3 Dairy Princess.
For more information about the District 2 Dairy Princess contest and events, please contact District 2 Chairperson Judy Buttke at dist2dairyprincesscommittee@gmail.com.
California is the nation’s leading milk producer, and produces more butter, ice cream and nonfat dry milk than any other state. California is the second-largest producer of cheese and yogurt. California milk and dairy foods can be identified by the Real California Milk seal, which certifies they are made with milk from the state’s dairy farm families.
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About Real California Milk/California Milk Advisory Board
The California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB), an instrumentality of the California Department of Food and Agriculture, is funded by the state’s dairy farm families who lead the nation in sustainable dairy farming practices. With a vision to nourish the world with the wholesome goodness of Real California Milk, the CMAB’s programs focus on increasing demand for 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.