Tillamook local Mackenzie Mitchell was named the 2025 Oregon Dairy Princess Ambassador by the Oregon Dairy Women in March and has since been travelling the state promoting the dairy industry.
Mitchell said that she hopes to increase young peoples’ understanding of the industry and advocate for its interests with local and state leaders.
Born in Linden, Washington, Mitchell moved to Tillamook in seventh grade and graduated from Tillamook High School in 2020, before matriculating at Tillamook Bay Community College. She is studying political science and plans to transfer to Corbin University in Salem after finishing her associate’s degree for a bachelor’s in political science, before attending Willamette University for law school.
Mitchell said that she is interested in studying environmental law and hopes to stay in the state and be involved in advocating for agricultural interests with state legislators.
“I’m interested in staying in Oregon, working a lot with our state legislature to make sure that we’re passing laws that are helping our agricultural community,” Mitchell said. “Because right now it seems that our representatives don’t always have a very big background when it comes to agriculture, and so they need someone who’s kind of pushing for the bills they should be voting on rather than the things that are going to hurt our farmers.”
Mitchell started down the path towards the Dairy Princess Ambassador position by competing in Future Farmers of America competitions in high school, showing heifers and honing her public speaking skills.
Last year, she was selected by the Tillamook County Dairy Women to serve as the 2024 Tillamook County Dairy Princess.
As her tenure in that position was drawing to a close this March, Mitchell traveled to Salem for the Oregon Dairy Farmers Association annual convention. Over two days, Mitchell participated in subject matter and personal interviews, delivered a speech and attended other events where she mingled with judges making the selection.
“You’re judged on everything,” Michell said. “The judges will look at you the entire time, you’re essentially always on as the princess, and so they’re looking for your etiquette, just how you speak to other people, how social you are, your networking capabilities.”
At the end of the convention, Mitchell was crowned the 65th Oregon Dairy Princess Ambassador, while Rebecca Noordam of Marion County was named Alternate Oregon Dairy Princess Ambassador.
“As soon as I was selected, I was just like, I don’t know, on cloud nine is I guess the only way to put it, and it still hasn’t fully sunk in,” Mitchell said of her selection.
As Oregon Dairy Princess Ambassador, Mitchell is receiving a stipend from the Oregon Dairy Women and travelling the state to increase knowledge and awareness about the industry.
During the spring, Mitchell’s efforts were focused on outreach to schoolchildren as she traveled to Irrigon and Pendleton to host farm to market events for grade schoolers.
“Those are always a lot of fun because you’re getting to educate kids from a young age and that’s the best way to do it is get them interested about the dairy industry, educate them on where their food comes from,” Mitchell said.
This summer her focus has shifted to fairs and other events, attending the Tillamook Dairy Days this past weekend with plans to go to the Tillamook, Malheur, Coos, Klamath and state fairs, among others.
In addition to continuing educational efforts in the fall and winter, Mitchell will also have opportunities to meet with state and local leaders to discuss issues facing the industry, with Mitchell pointing to rising costs as a major point of concern
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