St. Paul, MN (8/23/2023) Minnesota 4-H’ers from 87 counties arrived with over 2,562 animals at the 2023 “Great Minnesota Get-Together” for this year’s 4-H livestock encampment, which was held Wednesday, Aug. 23rd through Sunday, Aug. 27th. The number of livestock exhibits over the weekend included: Beef – 579 exhibits; Dairy – 422 exhibits; Goats – 293 exhibits; Poultry – 230 exhibits; Rabbits – 268 exhibits; Sheep – 312 exhibits; Swine – 398 exhibits; and Llama – 60 exhibits.
Minnesota 4-H’ers have been preparing for this event all summer long. Members consider several components when deciding to exhibit livestock, including selection and preparation of the animal; educational programming; scholarship applications; and participation at county fairs.
Education is integral in the “learn by doing” philosophy of 4-H. As part of the educational component, Minnesota 4-H requires every youth participating in the livestock encampment to participate in a livestock interview. Examples of the interview process include an online knowledge test, skill-a-thons, and personal interviews about their project area.
Along with interviews, all 4-H youth participating in livestock programming are required to complete the Livestock Quality Assurance and Ethics (LQA&E) Training. Through this certification, youth are educated on biosecurity, educating the public on the role of livestock, and caring for their animal’s welfare.
Many 4-H participants also have the opportunity to finance their education as recipients of scholarships. This year the Dairy Project will continue with the 15th annual Dairy Showcase and award special recognition and scholarships to 25 outstanding participants based on their dairy industry knowledge, 4-H dairy project involvement, along with state fair dairy show results. The annual 4-H Purple Ribbon Auction sponsored by the Minnesota Livestock Breeders Association (MLBA) presented 58 scholarships to youth with wellrounded leadership, community service and livestock involvement throughout their 4-H career.
4-H not only produces purple ribbon animals, but more importantly is focused on producing purple ribbon kids! Congratulations to all the youth that participated in the Livestock Encampment at the 2023 Minnesota State Fair.
