South Lebanon Twp. teen promotes dairy industry as statewide dairy princess

It’s been a whirlwind few months for Pennsylvania Dairy Princess Jesslyn Risser of South Lebanon Township. 

A Cedar Crest High School senior, the 17-year-old daughter of John and Alisha Risser has been busy since being crowned the statewide queen at a pageant in September.

Several events have highlighted the first four months of her statewide reign, including meeting Gov. Josh Shapiro on a local farm to promote farmland preservation in mid-October and distribute dairy products to guests.

“The farmland preservation meeting with the governor was truly awesome. I felt like it was a good way to really give a spotlight to not only the Copenhaver farm but farmers across Pennsylvania who are preserving their farms and preserving them for the future and growing the future,” Risser said. “So that was just awesome to be a part of that and be in that presence and be able to hear all those amazing speakers.”

She’s also interacted with federal officials, too. At the Pennsylvania Farm Show, for instance, she sat in with U.S. House Agriculture Committee chairman Glenn Thompson for a presentation on offering whole milk in schools.

The federal government recently passed the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025, allowing schools to offer whole and 2% reduced-fat milk in school lunches, reversing a 2012 prohibition. This legislation, which went into effect immediately, permits flavored or unflavored, conventional or organic milk to be served in school cafeterias. 

“I know I have seen it in my school that some kids don’t grab the milk right away, which is a little disappointing to see from the farmer’s end,” said Risser, who lives on a Holstein dairy farm with her parents. “But having whole milk back in schools and allowing that variety and option is just something that I’m truly excited about and was a big highlight of the Pennsylvania Farm Show for me.”

Risser was onsite each day of the 110th edition of the Pennsylvania Farm Show this year and during the reveal of the butter sculpture two days before the show opened to the public.

Representing the dairy industry at what’s essentially the state’s fair was an experience Risser will always remember.

“There were times that it felt overwhelming, but at the end of the day, when we got back to the hotel, it was definitely looking back on what we did that day and we had positive notes every day,” she said. Although it “felt overwhelming, it was well worth it to be able to serve the farmers and the wholesome products that they make. So I would say overall, the whole experience of farm show was a challenge … but so worth it in the end and something that we were happy to be a part of since this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and we were beyond thrilled to be a part of that and be able to serve farmers.”

She also attended the Pennsylvania Dairy Princess & Promotion Services’ first Farm to Fork event in Huntingdon County and took an interesting tour of a cheese processing plant in Maryland.

“There we were able to tour the facility with the dairy princess from Maryland, so that was a lot of fun to go to that plant and see how they make cheese,” Risser said. “That was honestly really cool to see that.” 

Her year as dairy royalty actually began on June 1 when Risser became Lebanon County Dairy Princess, a role that preceded her participation in the statewide contest last September. She’s been busy representing dairy farmers and promoting their products to consumers. 

“I went through all sorts of stuff within the county and whatever the state needed help with,” Risser said. “I did milkshakes at the Capitol and then I was also able to go to Ag Progress Days for the first time, which was a really neat experience. And then of course, September came and that’s when I was crowned Pennsylvania Dairy Princess.”  

Risser’s promotional “gear” has been in overdrive for the past six months, including her time spent on the Lebanon County Dairy Trail.

“There were a lot of promotions that I did as Lebanon County Dairy Princess, and obviously I’m gonna continue that trend through the state. But another one that really popped out to me was actually one that I created,” she said. “We did a Lebanon Lilly Ice Cream Trail with Visit Lebanon Valley. They supported us through this to kind of get us some popularity and help us out if we had any questions.”

That promotion took Risser across the Lebanon Valley to promote dairy products, the businesses that sell them, and, of course, producers.

“That it was an ice cream trail that I was able to give back to the community as it not only brought a spotlight to the ice cream shops, but also the farmers. It made people realize that, ‘Hey, this is a delicious treat that I’m able to go buy or take home with me.’ So that was one thing that was really, really cool. And we had a great turnout.”

In total, she said 1,500 promotional cards were distributed during that particular promotion.

“That was just honestly something that was really cool,” said Risser. “And a great way to see the community come in and work together as one.” 

She competed against more than 20 girls for the state dairy princess title. Her presentation was the same one that she used when she was named county dairy princess. 

“I did my skit/presentation on discovering dairy where I was Agent 003 and I took them on a journey through figuring out how English Gardener, a gold medalist sprinter, was able to recover so quickly and I was able to learn more about her and how she refuels with chocolate milk,” Risser remembered. “So I tried to base that information off of her around my whole display of discovering dairy, being a detective and looking in her gym bag, finding chocolate milk, her three servings of dairy, and also looking for her Code 42 (Pennsylvania producer seal) to support those farmers who are supplying her with nutritious products.” 

Following her role as state princess and after she graduates high school this spring, Risser said she plans to major in animal science this fall.  

“Eventually move to a larger operation where I would be a herds manager and/or come back to my family farm, which I know would be hard to do as we would need expansion,” she said. “But of course, I’m leaving my options open and letting God take the wheel and just kind of waiting to see what the future has in store for me. Taking it one step at a time.”

Despite giving up the local sash and crown as state princess, Risser said her heart will always be in Lebanon County – no matter where her princess travels take her this year.

“I’m still from Lebanon County, so I feel like I know a lot of those different school districts and some of the people within it,” Risser said. “So while I did kind of retire the (local) title, I’ll never retire where I come from, where I grew up, and where my passion and heart and desire for the industry started.”