The local dairy industry is now accepting applications from young women wishing to compete for the District 6 Dairy Princess crown.

The winner will represent the dairy industry in District 6 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 will receive professional development coaching. District 6 includes Alameda, Mariposa, Merced, Monterey, San Benito, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Stanislaus and Tuolumne counties.

Contestants must meet the following requirements: Be 17 years old by the date of the contest and not over 21 years of age by contest date; be unmarried; and family – parents or grandparents – must own or previously owned a dairy farm; parents work for the dairy industry; or have a dairy-related background. More detailed 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 Friday, May 11.

The District 6 contest is sponsored by the District 6 Dairy Princess Committee and the California Milk Advisory Board (CMAB). The 60th anniversary event will be held Thursday June 14 at Our Lady of Assumption Hall in Turlock. The evening begins at 6 p.m. with a social hour and is followed by the contest and dinner at 7 p.m.

Current Dairy Princess Makayla Toste, of Newman, will relinquish her crown to the winner who will then represent the dairy industry in the 11-county district. Scholarships will be awarded.

Application forms may be accessed online at www.californiadairypressroom.com/ca-dairy-princesses. Questions can be directed to Linda Teixeira at 209-634-4500 or 209-402-8305 or the California Milk Advisory Board office at cmacedo@cmab.net or 209-484-0690.

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. With headquarters in Tracy, the CMAB is one of the largest agricultural marketing boards in the United States. The CMAB executes advertising, public relations, research and retail and foodservice promotional programs on behalf of California dairy products that carry the Real California Milk seal throughout the U.S. and internationally.