Printable Version of January 2025 Joint Livestock Committee Minutes (Word)

Fallon County Joint 4-H/FFA Livestock Committee

Monday, January 13, 2025    Library Basement

Present: Kodie Olsen and Dave Kirstchen (Extension), Toni Reetz, Ashlee Moore, Wanda Pinnow (Tumbling Tumbleweeds), Roddy Rost (Country Cousins), Charlotte, Jeaninne, Matthew and Molly Losing (Red Butte Ramblers) Stephanie Crisler, Katrinka Sherman (Kidz-N-Kritters), Andrea Huft (Fertile Prairie) 

The Meeting was called to order at 5:36 by Chairman Wanda Pinnow. The pledges were said.

Molly motioned to approve the minutes from the October meeting as presented and Toni seconded. The motion passed.

Wanda asked to add two items to the new business, those are Arena Footwear and Spring Livestock Judging. Roddy motioned to approve the changes to the minutes and Ashlee seconded. The motion passed

Extension Report: The Livestock report was handed out, and we were asked to look it over and to take it back to our clubs to confirm the kids are enrolled in the correct projects. Kodie did state that she added a few in that she had not got confirmed but is fairly certain the child will be showing the animal at fair. Market Beef Weigh-In went well. 59 steers were weighed, heavy steer weighed 930 lb. Thank you to Dean and Darin for allowing us the use of your facility and scale. AQA went well. Kodie reported it was the best attended AQA to date with 42 kids and 4-6 adults attending, and there are only 5 or so kids left to get their AQA updated before the fair. The kids were excited that they could have the AQA count as an activity in their book and Dave has already signed quite a few of their books as some had brought them with them. A lot of the kids that attended did not need updated this year but came anyway. 

Fair Board Update: Dave and Kodie reported that they had presented to the Fair Board about adding on an open-faced barn on the north side of the barn that we could leave permanent stalls in for the pigs. They said the fair board was very receptive of the idea and told them to go ahead and come up with a plan, get some drawings and quotes to get presented to them. They agreed that sunscreens would be a great, and much needed addition. Molly suggested getting a quote from Chuck Graham.

Old Business: No one had any ideas for workshop ideas, other than the ambassadors are planning on holding a record book workshop for all members on Friday Feb 14 at 9 am at the exhibit hall. This is a Friday when none of the schools have school.

New Business: The committee is asking for club input on ideas for Livestock Buyer’s gifts. Kodie stated that they had got wooden cutting boards and steak knives before. The hats were a hit last year, it was mentioned that we could get a gift certificate for a T-shirt at Sew What that the buyer could go down and choose their size. Kodie also thought Baker Bucks might be a nice idea, that way the money stays local. Roddy motioned and Molly seconded that we present to the council a proposal to buy $15 Baker Bucks certificates to give to livestock buyers. The motion passed. They are looking for an idea for the 2025 Fallon County Fair Theme, Kodie’s idea was “A Fairy Tail” Stall decorations could be fairy tail characters, please ask the clubs for ideas and bring them back to the extension office at your February meeting. Dave and Kodie went over fair book revision recommendations. (on separate sheet)

Roddy motioned, to approve the 7 recommended revisions, Toni seconded. Motion approved.

Kodie said she had done a lot of thinking about the suggestion of selling t-shirts like what the 4-H fair exhibitors get at the food booth, as a lot of people had asked Jennifer Wheeler where they could buy them. She has decided she doesn’t think it is a good idea as Mid-Rivers donates the shirts for the kids, and she doesn’t feel it would be right to sell shirts and make a profit on them and potentially upset Mid-Rivers to the point that they would stop donating the shirts for the youth. 

Wanda talked about small animal processing. She had a buyer tell her that they had bought chickens for years and this was the first year they have ever received their processed animal. 

Kodie read from the fair book on page 10, #11 where it states. “If you choose to take possession of the animal, the ownership begins at the time of your winning bid. The youth will continue to provide feed and care until Sunday afternoon when ownership will be turned over to the buyer as is. At that time, the 4-H and FFA youth is no longer responsible for the future care, feed or processing of your purchased animal. We will help in providing transportation of animals to local processors” Kodie said this is also on the bottom of the sheet that the buyer signs when they purchase the animal. We will have the auctioneer announce it during the sale, add it to the sale flyer and the tri fold the kids hand out as invites, and have it printed on the back side of the buyer’s numbers. Katrinka offered some insight as to why this rule was put into place as she had someone request that her child butcher the animal and deliver it to them after the sale. A lot of the kids do not know how to butcher their small animals, and it puts them in a bad position as a kid talking to an adult that just spent a good amount of money on their animal.  Ashlee mentioned how she had been told there were some USDA rules against being able to give the butchered chicken to the buyer. Dave said he would look into this. Ashlee said she would be willing to allow kids to come out after fair when they butcher their extra chickens and each kid could learn how to butcher theirs and take it to the buyer, Dave said he would be willing to possibly get a butcher cone and do this as an after fair workshop for kids. Sponsors for the Champion Buckles, Golden Pitchfork , fair, carcass, etc. Kodie stated that her and Dave have had many people and businesses ask her how they can sponsor the champion buckles for fair. She said she goes back to the same person that sponsored the year before and gives them the first chance to sponsor for the next fair. She said if that sponsor didn’t want to sponsor again, she would open it up for anyone else that wants to sponsor. She said the Golden Pitchfork award is usually offered to the board and the public and she doesn't have a problem getting sponsors for that. She said for the other awards, she approaches the same people that have donated in previous years. Roddy asked about the plaques that are sold at the fair sale. He said he knows there are more people that would buy plagues, but don’t want to or can’t buy an animal, especially former 4-H members that want to support 4-H. It was discussed where the money goes from the plaques that sell, and Roddy suggested adding a 3rd plaque, that will be solely a scholarship plaque. Roddy motioned and Ashlee seconded, the motion passed to present adding a 3rd scholarship plaque to the sale. Tumbling Tumbleweeds is hosting the Spring Livestock Judging. They have it tentatively scheduled for Saturday April 26. Registration at 11, judging at 11:30. Wanda and Molly talked about possibly having the horse judging together. Molly will take it back to her club. Footwear in the arena. Wanda said she saw a lot of kids selling their livestock during the fair in Hey Dudes. She asked if there was any way we could make a rule that kids need to be in boots when they are showing their animal. It was stated that there is no dress code for the sale other than western wear, but that the dress code does state that boots are to be worn. Kodie said it’s really hard to police what kids are wearing on their feet and she doesn’t feel right turning a kid away from an event because they are not wearing boots. There were a bunch of kids that showed up at steer weigh ins in not proper footwear. It was talked about maybe saying if they are representing 4-H or FFA while handling their animal they need to wear boots. Kodie suggested every leader take it back to their club about how important it is to wear boots while working with your animals and Kodie will put it in the fair newsletter.

Other business: 

The 4-H Council meeting is next Tuesday January 21, 2025 at 5:30 in the library basement. 

With no further business, Wanda adjourned the meeting. Next quarterly meeting of the Fallon County Joint Livestock Committee is April 14, 2025 at the exhibit hall at 5:30. 

 

Ashlee