Dakota Harley Meys, a Hunterdon County resident, has been selected as the 2025–2026 New Jersey State Dairy Princess. She is a senior at Voorhees High School and attends the Hunterdon County Polytech Animal Science Program. Dakota also serves as Co-President of the Hunterdon County Vocational Animal Science FFA Chapter.
She works at Hun Val Dairy in Ringoes, where she milks cows, handles livestock, and assists with on-farm processing and the farm’s popular ice cream trailer. Dakota credits her father, George Perehinys, a recovering dairy farmer and co-owner of Sweet Valley Farms and Perehinys Farm, as well as Jared and Treacy Weeks of Hun Val Dairy, for inspiring her passion and shaping her path in the dairy industry.
Dakota plans to pursue a degree in Dairy Science and Animal Science after graduation. Her creativity stood out in the state competition, where she wrote and illustrated her own children’s book for the skit portion, helping earn her the statewide title.