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Upcoming Ag Judging Opportunities for Fall 2023

by | Oct 25, 2023

Now that the weather finally cooling down, it is fair season in the Florida panhandle! Fairs aren’t just about rides and food but also about participating in showing livestock, entering exhibits, and competing in judging contests. There are so many opportunities at fairs for 4-H youth to participate in and gain knowledge from. Agricultural judging contests are great for youth who are interested in learning about agriculture. There is a statewide virtual agricultural judging contest and an agricultural judging contest at the North Florida Fair.

This year we will be hosting the 4th Annual Florida 4-H Virtual Ag Judging Contest. It will take place on October 26th at 6:00 pm EST on Zoom and it is free! There will be training before the contest to allow 4-H youth an opportunity to learn about each topic before participating in the contest. The training will be held on October 24th at 6:00 pm EST on Zoom. This contest is great for 4-H youth to learn how to judge bulls, dairy cows, poultry, goats, swine, hay, grain, peanuts, and tomatoes. There will also be questions on tool identification, weed identification, and soil samples. To participate in this contest youth must be 4-H age 8-18 and will need to register in 4-H Online. If you have any questions about this event, please email Evie Hunter (evie.hunter@ufl.edu) or Chris Decubellis (cdecube@ufl.edu). We had so much fun creating this contest virtually and are super excited for youth all over the state to participate! This is our 4th year doing this contest and we are happy to see it grow!

The North Florida Fair Ag Judging Contest will take place on November 11th at the fairgrounds in Tallahassee, Florida. This contest will cover judging steers, heifers, eggs, hay, and grains. This contest is for youth 4-H ages 8-18 who are interested in learning how to judge agriculture. To participate in this contest youth must register in 4-H Online and contact your 4-H Agent to sign up. If you have any questions about this event, please email Robbie Jones r.jones1@ufl.edu or Evie Hunter (evie.hunter@ufl.edu).

Both contests are great for youth to learn about how to judge each topic. It is very important to know how to tell if you are feeding your animals good hay and grains to make sure your animals stay healthy. It is also important to learn about the structure and what to look for in each livestock animal. Both contests are fun to participate in and learn about the importance of ag judging. I look forward to seeing both contests grow, and more youth learn about the importance of agriculture.

For livestock judging study materials, check out these links:

Livestock Judging Guide (Kansas)

Livestock Judging Explore Guide (Texas)

Livestock Judging EDIS Factsheet (Florida)

Or, check out our video on judging contest basics!

Engineering and Agriculture = Fun, Learning and Teambuilding

by | Jul 28, 2017

Youth had only 2 hours to design a bridge that would support a semi load of vegetables.

When you hear the word agriculture, it probably evokes words like “farming, livestock or dirt” and maybe even the smell of manure.  For people who work in the agriculture industry, it reminds them of words like “hard work, long days, sweat” and the smell of money.  But did you know that science and technology- especially engineering- play an ever increasing role in supplying our nation (and world) with a safe and affordable food supply?

Thanks to generous support from HughesNet, 4-Hers across Florida have been learning just how much the agriculture industry needs technology.  This week, 4-Hers from Jackson, Liberty, Gadsden and Leon counties participated in an engineering day camp.  Each day, they learned how civil engineers design the infrastructure needed for farmers to get their food from the farm to tables across the state and nation.  The program concluded with an engineering challenge at the North Florida Fairgrounds in Tallahassee.

Youth were judged on their innovation, creativity and teamwork- all essential skills for engineers who solve today’s problems!

Youth had two hours to design, build and test a bridge that would hold a large semi-truck of produce.  The results were inspiring!  Teams were judged on their creative use of materials, innovative design, teamwork and communication skills.  They also completed a skill-a-thon to showcase their knowledge of bridge design.  This challenge was practice for the contest that will be held in November during 4-H Day at the North Florida Fair.  To find out more information about other 4-H programs like this, contact your local UF IFAS County Extension Office or visit http://florida4h.org.

North Florida Fair STEM Contest info

4-H Science and Technology Projects