Agriculture

The purpose of project work is to enhance the education, experience, and development of young people often discovered through team work. 

For example in the 4-H beef projects, youth learn to select, feed and care for one or more cows, heifers, steers, or feeder calves.  Events and contests give more opportunities to work in a team setting.

Section links for this page:
Agriculture Resources
Missouri 4-H Food Quality Assurance

Events & Contests
Agribusiness Academy - Department of Agriculture
Beekeeping Essay Contest
Department of Agriculture Judging & Grading Clinic
Livestock Judging Contest
Meats Judging Contest
Missouri 4-H Livestock Camps
Missouri State Fair
State 4-H Congress Livestock Judging Contest
State Poultry Day
Building Our Communities Grant (BOAC)

Missouri 4-H Food Quality Assurance
Training offered by your local MU Extension office.

Policy - All 4-H members enrolled in food animal projects including beef, sheep, swine, dairy cattle, meat and dairy goats, rabbits and poultry must complete the appropriate level of MSQA certification to be considered a 4-H member in good standing in that project.  Other county good standing guidelines may also apply.  Check with your local 4-H youth specialist for current local guidelines.

• Missouri 4-H Food Quality Assurance Policies and MSMQA Information (Word)

• Tutorial available at http://www.agebb.missouri.edu/smqa/

Copies of the list of youth MSMQA certified in your county are available through certified trainers including MU Extension livestock specialists and 4-H youth specialists. 

If for some reason, you cannot get the list from the specialist, please contact Marcia Shannon at carlsonm@missouri.edu who can email an excel file for your county. For permission to access the administrative data base, email Marcia Shannon.

Back to Top

Agribusiness Academy – Department of Agriculture

Annual Event
Kansas City, Missouri

Information
A youth leadership program for high school sophomore students to explore career opportunities in agribusiness, government and production agriculture.

Registration is through the Missouri Department of Agriculture.

Back to Top

Beekeeping Essay Contest

Essay is due to the state 4-H office by February 15 each year.

Information
The Beekeeping Essay Contest is sponsored by the National American Beekeeping Federation.

4-H Essay Contest Announcement and Rules can be found at American Beekeeping Association. 

Back to Top

Department of Agriculture Grading and Judging Clinic

Annual Event
Trowbridge, University of Missouri-Columbia

Information
Open to all youth. Individual and team competition. No limit on number of teams. Four members per team.

The Judging and Grading Clinic teaches how to evaluate live animals by applying USDA grade standards.

Registration is through the Missouri Department of Agriculture.

Back to Top

Livestock Judging Contest

TBA, 2010
Trowbridge, University of Missouri-Columbia

Information
Registration forms are obtained from your county Extension office with a county due date. 

County Information
County summary form is located in Just for Staff
County registrations are due to the state 4-H office by September 1.

Materials
Livestock Judging Manual (PDF) - 640 KB

Livestock Judging Contest 2009 Photo Gallery Results (in PDF) Junior Individual Results Junior Team Results Junior Coaches' Reports Senior Individual Results Senior Team Results Senior Coaches' Reports

Back to Top

Meats Judging Contest

February 20, 2010
Eckles Hall, University of Missouri-Columbia

Information
Open to all 4-Hers.  Register teams through your county MU Extension office.
Registration Form (Word) or (PDF)

County Information
County summary form is located in Just for Staff
County registrations are due by February 1 to the state 4-H office.

Materials

• Cured Ham Cooking Processes (PDF)

• Meat Retail Cut Identification Codes (PDF)

• Meat Retail Cut Identification Card (PDF)

• Cured Hams Score Card (PDF)

• Curing Country Hams (slides)
  Presentation by Andrew Clarke, MU Dept. of Food Service

Meats Judging Contest 2009 Article with photos and results

Back to Top

Missouri 4-H Livestock Camps

Missouri 4-H Dairy Cow Camp

TBA 2010
Springfield, Missouri
Robthom Dairy Farms

Information
4-H dairy members ages 10-18 as of January 1

Participants will be guided through the basics and finer points of fitting dairy cattle.  Applications are due by April 15.  Enrollment is limited to the first 40 so send in your application early!  

Missouri 4-H Dairy Cow Camp brochure and application (PDF)

Back to Top

Missouri State Fair

August 12-22, 2010
Missouri State Fair, Sedalia

Information
All entries are due July 1 to the Missouri State Fair.  Entry information can be found at the Missouri State Fair website.

Back to Top

State 4-H Congress Livestock Judging Contest

TBA 2010
Offered by State Club Congress
Trowbridge Livestock Center, University of Missouri-Columbia

Information

• Open to both the Congress delegates and any other 4-Hers, age 8 - 18. 
• Cost is $2 per youth individual.  Adults do not compete but may participate and help as needed.  
• A 4-H staff person or volunteer coach needs to attend with the 4-H members.
• Members and adult helpers must bring a sack lunch and drinks.
• Registration Form (Word) or (PDF)

County Information
Counties may use this as an opportunity to determine county livestock judging teams in the junior and senior divisions to advance to state.  There is no limit on the number of 4-H members attending from a county.

Counties are responsible for their own transportation and local communications including information letters with transportation details and directions to Trowbridge. 

County summary form is located in Just for Staff
County registrations are due to the state 4-H office by May 15.

Back to Top

State Poultry Day

TBA 2010
Animal Science Building, University of Missouri-Columbia

Information
Open to all 4-Hers.  Participants 14 and over by January 1 will be in the senior division.

Registrations are due by May 1. 
Registration Form (Word) or (PDF)

Materials

• Pickin' The Chicken: How Judges Judge Show Poultry (video)
  Presentation by Larry Denny, MU Extension

• National 4-H Poultry and Egg Conference
  http://national4hpoultryandegg.psu.edu/

State Poultry Day  2009 News Article with Photo Gallery Poultry Day Results (PDF)

Back to Top

Building Our Communities Grant (BOAC)

The Department of Agriculture program provides $18,000 annually to Missouri 4-H clubs and FFA chapters for projects aimed at developing and advancing Missouri’s rural communities.

Selection Process
Eighteen $500 4-H BOAC grants and eighteen $500 FFA BOAC grants are awarded annually, three per each of the six districts.

Selection Criteria
Projects must benefit an agricultural community and/or promote community development.

Projects may include improvements to existing facilities, grounds or buildings that are used by various groups or organizations in the applicant’s community.

For details, refer to the  Building Our Communities Grant, Missouri Department of Agriculture website.

Back to Top