AG MEETS ED
County fairs highlight food and midway rides, but most also serve to educate hundreds of youngsters about agriculture and livestock. The 4-H and Future Farmers of America programs are changing with the times.
While you might find a large collection of farm animals at your local fair this year, you may not see any poultry. Evy Young, the agriculture education supervisor at the OC Fair, says, “We do not have any poultry entries this year due to virulent Newcastle disease. Although Orange County is not in the quarantine area for VND, we are acting out of caution and skipping the event this year. We have had no issues with the disease here.” The OC Fair is one of many 4-H- and Ffa-affiliated events across California that have canceled showing poultry over disease concerns.
Chicken out
According to the California Department of Food and Agriculture, Newcastle is a highly contagious viral disease that can affect poultry and other birds. The agency says that in rare cases, humans exposed to infected birds may get eye inflammation or mild fever-like symptoms. It also says the disease is not a food safety concern.
Young says, “The poultry concern is another example of why we need strong programs that teach students an appreciation of agribusiness and agricultural science.”
Hog heaven
Agricultural programs in urban areas are going strong, but they might be auctioning a lot more hogs and goats than cattle in years to come. At the OC Fair, there were 130 cattle entries in 1993 and 44 in 2019. Entries for hogs in 2019 were more than twice that with 121.
While prices at auction might be down, costs to raise livestock are increasing. “We’ve seen a decline in the pricier types of livestock such as beef,” Young said. “The price of feed and time it takes to bring cattle to market has resulted in fewer entries over time.”
Diverse membership
The FFA is celebrating the 50th anniversary of opening its membership to women. Today about 38% of the members are female, and women hold 47% of state leadership positions. In 2017, Californian Breanna Holbert became the first African-american female to be elected national FFA president.
You can learn more about the programs at 4-h.org or ffa.org.