Local News

Youth Producer of Merit Livestock Program, Sponsored by Hamilton Youth Foundation

May 21, 2014

Producer of Merit Program application packets are now available at the WSU Okanogan County Extension Office, located in the County Curthouse room 101.

The objective of this program is to strengthen the participant’s knowledge, ability, and skill as a feeder, manager, and exhibitor of livestock and to develop their sense of responsibility and good character. The program is open for all youth who are taking swine, sheep, or steers to the Okanogan County Fair. A similar program is designed for poultry exhibits.

The incentives for youth to participate in the POM Program are a cash award to cover the cost of entering in the Okanogan County Fair, a special Producer of Merit rosette to be displayed on the animal at the auction, and their name listed in the newspaper as a participant. The incentive for parents to provide this opportunity for their children is that this will help teach entrepreneurial fundamentals and responsibility. The producer of merit program also asks the youth producer to develop their own character through community service, a public presentation about agriculture, and create an educational display for fair. To showcase the producers’ hard work, the program requires that they enter in the fitting and showing contest, livestock judging contest and display the total cost of producing the animal.

This beneficial program is sponsored by Hamilton Youth Foundation, and WSU Okanogan County Extension.

For more information contact the WSU Extension office at 422-7245.