GRIDLEY, CA (MPG) – Recently, Gridley got two new queens as part of the Miss Agriculture America Community Service Pageant.

Miss Agriculture America system, according to its website, “was born out of the very rich history of its founders, the Lolmaugh Family.” The program married over 125 years of family farming in the Northern California Valley, over 50 years of Agribusiness and Engineering, with three decades of pageantry to become a nation-wide program that educates on the role of Agriculture in America. “Our ultimate goal is to use our experience and presence in communities to educate society on the importance of quality Agriculture and its role in the world.”

The program is open to men and women of all ages, ranging from young children to adults that play a role and advocate for agriculture nation-wide, although the program was founded in here in the north state.

That said, two local young ladies applied and were selected to hold Ms. Agriculture American titles here in Butte County – Miss Agriculture America Butte County Teen Queen, Isabella Bastiani and Butte County Jr Teen Queen, Ali Kahn.

Since receiving their Crowns and sashes, Bastiani and Kahn have thrown themselves into the community service aspect, first reading to children at Manzanita School and addressing the topics of bullying, gaining further insight and education on Ag processes at the Patrick Ranch demonstration garden and museum, and observing local rice harvest procedures. These events have already given them opportunity to further educate themselves and the community on Ag methods and processes.

The queens have the flexibility to choose their community service events and have the freedom to structure their service hours around topics and areas of agriculture that are of particular interest to them. They have also taken the initiative of posting to social media Agricultural Learning Recaps to Facebook and media sites that shares what they learned or did during their service or educational opportunities, what their favorite take-away was and why they felt that it was of importance to our community and society.

Butte County Jr Teen Queen, Ali Kahn says that she was drawn to the program because of her interests in agriculture, showing animals as part of 4-H and the opportunity to further engage in the local agriculture community. She says her favorite event so far was learning how a rice harvester works and that she is excited to be able to speak with more people and be a role model for others interested in the program and ag.

Of her experience in the program so far, Butte County Teen Queen, Isabella Bastiani says that she has enjoyed the flexibility to choose the events she participates in, is excited to be able to do more within the ag community and provide more service to her community than participating in local parades or events as representatives of the program. The ability to incorporate more community service, get down and dirty out in the fields and orchards learning Ag processes, and be able to structure her own program within the framework of the Ms. Agriculture America program was a huge draw.

The Ag America Queens next public event will be this Friday, October 14^th as they participate in the Gridley High School Homecoming Parade.

For more information on the Ms. Agriculture America Community National Service Pageant, please visit tinyurl.com/2nbbds4f.