Yuba River Endowment donates $10,000 to assist Junior Livestock Show & Auction
The board of directors of the Yuba River Endowment has voted unanimously to present the Yuba-sutter Fair with $10,000 to support the livestock show and the transition to an online Junior Livestock Auction planned for later this summer.
The Yuba River Endowment is a non-profit organization created by Yuba County farmers. Since formation last year, the Endowment has donated over $60,000 to Yuba County FFA groups to cover all transportation costs, hotel and registration fees for their competition trips and field days.
“We were heartbroken to cancel the Yuba-sutter Fair this year,” said Yuba-sutter Fair CEO, Dave Dillabo. “The silver lining is that our Board supports going ahead with an onsite Jr. Livestock Show and virtual Livestock Auction.
The Yuba-sutter Fair Junior
Livestock Show & Auction provides numerous benefits beyond the showing of personal growth and leadership development and helps to educate junior exhibitors in livestock marketing. The sale is made up of market animals that are selected, fed and shown by 4-H and FFA members.
After the animals are judged, and awards are presented in each market category, they are auctioned, purchased by local businesses and individuals, with the proceeds going back to the student who raised the animal.
The Junior Livestock Auction is an excellent example of youth organizations and local businesses working together to improve and promote the history of agriculture in the Yuba-sutter area.
“The cost of running the livestock show is typically offset by the fair-time proceeds, so now we are working hard to secure funds to help cover the administrative costs for the show & auction,” said Dillabo. “The Yuba River Endowment donation fills a big gap, and we are hoping this will help get the word out and raise even more funds.”
The Yuba River Endowment was established by a select group of Yuba County farmers who have a right to water that flows on the Yuba River. In a truly win-win situation, the farmers’ water is used to provide the required flow levels to protect endangered fishes on the Yuba River, then once past this critical point, the water can be sold to drought-stricken areas of the state.
Proceeds from these transfers provide the funding for the
Yuba River Endowment, allow these farmers to expand their agricultural operations and create jobs in Yuba County. Through generations of conservation, cooperation, infrastructure investment and groundwater recharge, Yuba County is a model for water management in California.
The Endowment was created to give back to the community, and provide organizational and educational grants.
“Our motto for the
Endowment is ‘Local Farmers Giving Back’,” said local farmer and Yuba River Endowment President, Al Lassaga. “Our board is made up of representatives from seven different Yuba County regions, from Browns Valley to Wheatland. Investing our money back into our community, and specifically into agricultural education and our future farmers, just makes sense. We want to make sure agriculture stays strong for generations to come.”
Yuba River Endowment board members awarded the funds during a special ceremony at the Yuba-sutter Fair cattle barn on June 18.