Ice cream, ice cream, we all scream for ice cream.
While they didn’t shout it out, Genesee County legislators made it clear that they missed enjoying the frozen dairy treats that are distributed once a year by the Genesee County Dairy Princess Court during the ceremony designating June as “Dairy Month.”
The reading of the proclamation by Legislator Gregg Torrey kicked off this afternoon's legislature meeting, which took place via Zoom videoconferencing.
In part, the decree stated that the “Dairy Industry has contributed to the development and prosperity of our community since the earliest formation of Genesee County … and that dairy farmers and farmworkers strive to produce wholesome dairy milk, which is used to make delicious dairy products … that provide health benefits and valuable nutritional benefit to residents locally, regionally and globally.”
Natasha (Stein) Sutherland, co-owner of Stein Farms and a member of Genesee County Farm Bureau, said the honor holds a special meaning for rural counties such as Genesee.
“It is well-earned and it happened at a perfect moment (where) we can stop and say ‘thank you, Dairy’ but also thank you to each other during this time when support is so needed and the industry is finally reopening,” she said.
After that, Dairy Princess Miah Werth, a junior at Elba Central School, pointed to dairy’s nutritional value as she thanked the legislature for recognizing the industry.
“Dairy is extremely important for our health as it provides a unique variety of nutrients that our body needs,” she said, noting that milk and cheese contain high percentages of essential vitamins and protein.
Werth said the Genesee County Dairy Court’s No. 1 goal is to educate the public on “how hard dairy farmers work every day.”
“It is important for us to continue to support them as they have always been the heart and backbone of our county,” she said.
She then introduced the members of this year’s Dairy Court:
Dairy Ambassadors -- Amelia Brewer, Jillian Brewer, Georgia Luft, Carolyn Sybertz and Maggie Winspear.
Dairy Maids -- Chloe Lamb, Claire Lamb, Caroline Luft and Annalise Sybertz.
Legislator Marianne Clattenburg thanked the young ladies for their efforts, and left them with a reminder of past years.
“I wish we could be with you because we’re really missing our ice cream,” she quipped.
