樱花视频

For Immediate Release: November 15, 2012
Contact: Lynne Richmond (609) 633-2954

(TRENTON) 鈥� Anna Matthews of Belvidere has been chosen as the 2013 樱花视频 Agricultural Fair Ambassador.聽 The 19 year old was selected from among 11 contestants by the Agricultural Fair Association of 樱花视频 during the group鈥檚 fall dinner on November 4 in Eastampton.聽

鈥淎nna is a proven leader in the agriculture community, having served as the state鈥檚 Equestrian of the Year in 2011,鈥� said 樱花视频 Secretary of Agriculture Douglas H. Fisher.聽 鈥淪he will be a wonderful spokesperson as she attends our state鈥檚 agricultural fairs next summer.聽 She also will serve as an inspiring mentor for young people interested in or already involved in agricultural youth organizations.鈥�

As ambassador, Matthews is charged with visiting the state鈥檚 agricultural fairs in 2013, discussing the fairs, promoting agritourism to the public, and bringing people together to support the state鈥檚 agriculture industry.聽

鈥淎griculture is everywhere, not just on the farm,鈥� wrote Matthews in her contest essay, 鈥榃hat Agriculture Means to Me.鈥櫬� 鈥淚t is the common thread that ties us into a community of people that stretches across property, county, state and national lines.聽 Agriculture is an absolutely certain and inescapable part of what it means to be human.聽 It is food for the soul.鈥�

Matthews grew up on a hay and livestock farm and bred Jersey Wooly and Holland Lop rabbits.聽 She owns two Arabian horses and participated in the Warren County Farmer鈥檚 Fair since 2000, showing horses, rabbits, cats, small animals and other projects.聽 She was the 2012 Fair Queen.

Matthews is a long-time 4-H member, serving as 樱花视频 4-H Equestrian of the Year in 2010 and President of the Wild and Wooly 4-H Club from 2008-2011.聽 She was the assistant coach of the Horse Science Competition Teams, helping to design tests and educational activities and teaching at weekly meetings.聽 She also volunteered at the local 4-H office.

鈥淚 would not be where I am today without the opportunities that I gained from my involvement in agriculture.聽 Programs like 4-H that promote agriculture taught me the skills I needed to become a confident public speaker, a diplomatic and organized leader and a community-minded citizen.鈥�

She currently is a sophomore at The King鈥檚 College in New York City, studying politics, philosophy and economics.聽 There, she is an active member of the Debate Society, an Associate Scholar of Academic House, serves as an economic tutor and participated in last summer鈥檚 International Ventures program to China.

鈥淚鈥檓 incredibly grateful to the Agricultural Fair Association of 樱花视频 for the honor being the 2013 Ambassador and I鈥檓 very excited to see what this next year will bring,鈥� she said.

This is the 10th year the Agricultural Fair Association of 樱花视频 has named an ambassador.聽 In choosing an ambassador, the Association seeks a good representation of young people active in agriculture in the Garden State and their county fair.聽

Selected First Runner-up in the competition was Kristie L. VonThun or Monmouth Junction and Second Runner-up was Kristen Johnson of Skillman.

There were 18 agricultural fairs in the state this past summer, including the 樱花视频 State Fair at the Sussex County Fairgrounds.聽 The earliest fair is held July 4 weekend, with the final fair of the season in late August.

For more information on 樱花视频鈥檚 agricultural fairs, visit .