Del Mar CA— For San Diego County 4-H and FFA members, the San Diego County Fair’s Junior Livestock Auction highlights the hard work and dedication they’ve put into raising and caring for their prized goats, steers, lambs, swine and rabbits.
The Junior Livestock Auction, happening at 10 a.m. tomorrow, June 29 in the Fair’s livestock area, is the culmination of Market Week, where only the blue-ribbon winning animals are eligible for auction. The annual auction continues to encourage today’s youth to seek a future in agriculture, and to further their education.
Approximately 400 youth ages 9-19 are involved in the livestock program. The Junior Livestock Support Fund was established three years ago, and funds raised from the auction and donations benefit the participants’ higher education costs. Last year, more than $36,000 was raised to benefit youth in agriculture and their enterprise projects.
“Agriculture, animals and the 4-H and FFA are really the heart of the Fair,” said Jacky Eshelby, San Diego County Fair’s exhibits director. “These kids gain important life skills while raising money to go to college through the youth livestock program. The process teaches them to have a great respect for the entire food system and develop entrepreneurial skills.”
The Junior Livestock Program give 4-H and FFA members an opportunity to learn valuable skills in selection, care and feeding of livestock, animal health and record keeping. Many of the youth participants have devoted hundreds of hours to their animal and/or agriculture projects.
The public can support local youth’s agriculture projects by purchasing livestock at the Junior Livestock Auction, or by simply donating to the Junior Livestock Auction Support Fund. The Friends of the San Diego County Fair established the fund to boost prices and sales at the auction along with providing youth scholarships through the support fund, and in conjunction with the San Diego County Fair’s Don Diego Scholarship Fund.
Click here for more information about the Junior Livestock Auction.
To donate to the Junior Livestock Support Fund, call (858)-755-1161 Ext. 2412 or email jla@sdfair.com.