Attention Livestock Exhibitors: Quality Assurance Updates

Quality Assurance is an annual requirement of the Ohio Department of Agriculture for youth taking livestock projects to county and state fair. In Fairfield County, Quality Assurance Training is required for all members who will be exhibiting a livestock project at the Fairfield County Fair or Junior Exhibitor at the Ohio State Fair. Beef (Breeding & Market); Dairy Breeding & Dairy Feeders; Goats (Dairy, Meat, Market & Pygmy); Poultry (Breeding & Market); Sheep (Breeding & Market); Swine; Rabbits (Breeding & Market), and Alpacas/Llamas.

Deadlines for 2021:

  • Youth planning to exhibit at the Ohio State Fair must have their Quality Assurance completed by June 1st, 2021.
  • Youth planning to exhibit at the Fairfield County Fair must have their Quality Assurance completed by August 15th, 2021.

At this time, Quality Assurance CANNOT be taught by club/chapter advisors to Fairfield County 4-H/FFA youth virtually (i.e. Zoom, Google Hangouts, Google Classrooms, Facebook Live, etc.).

Here are the acceptable options to complete Quality Assurance in 2021:

  • In-Person 4-H Club/FFA Chapter Clinic taught by a 4-H/FFA Advisor who has completed the Quality Assurance Assistant Instructor Training this year (which took place on April 7th and April 26th). Advisors who attended this training will notify their members of their club/chapter QA Clinic date and will be responsible for getting all QA paperwork submitted to the Extension Office by the appropriate deadlines.
  • In-Person Countywide Make-Up Clinics: To be held on Saturday, May 8th at 9:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. and Sunday, May 23rd at 2:00 p.m.- 3:30 p.m. at the Ed Sands Building at the Fairgrounds. A third date has been added: Thursday, June 10th at 7:00 p.m. Attendance is limited and an RSVP is required. Please register online at this link for either countywide in-person QA Clinic: https://osu.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0P19iWcND165rpQ
  • In-Person Beef Quality Assurance: Members who complete an in-person BQA taught by a certified BQA instructor must submit documentation to Leslie Cooksey at cooksey.25@osu.edu.
  • In-Person Pork Quality Assurance: Members who complete an in-person PQA taught by a certified PQA advisor must submit documentation to Leslie Cooksey at cooksey.25@osu.eduYouth MUST be age 14 or older (current age) to complete in-person PQA. Youth will receive a PQA certification number from the National Pork Board upon completion.
  • Online: Youth for the Quality Care of Animals (YQCA). This is the ONLY approved ONLINE Quality Assurance Program for youth in Ohio. For 2021, this web-based course has been approved by ODA for 8-18 year olds.
    • Go to: https://yqca.learngrow.io/Account/Login
      • Fairfield County 4-H Members should select “sign in with 4-HOnline”. It will prompt you to select a state and then enter your 4-HOnline account information. After successfully logging in, you will be given a list of active family members. Select the family member and start the account creation process.
      • Fairfield County FFA Members (who are not in 4-H) should select FFA & Independent Sign-In.
    • You will need to select the web-based training ($12.00 per member, annually).
    • For a complete list of directions visit: Getting Your YQCA Online Certification
    • When you are finished, please send name(s) and certificate number(s) to Leslie Cooksey at cooksey.25@osu.edu.

Countywide (make-up) Youth Quality Assurance Trainings: May 8th and May 23rd (RSVP required)

The FIRST of two make-up countywide Quality Assurance Clinics will be held Saturday, May 8th at the Fairfield County Fairgrounds (Ed Sands/Farm Bureau Building) from 9:30-11:00 a.m. Advanced registration is required and attendance will be limited to 40 youth. RSVP by completing the survey at this link. Please arrive on time so we can get the training started promptly at 9:30 a.m.

Quality Assurance Training is required for all members who will be exhibiting a livestock project at the Fairfield County Fair or Junior Exhibitor at the Ohio State Fair. This includes the following projects: Beef (Breeding & Market); Dairy Breeding & Dairy Feeders; Goats (Dairy, Meat, Market & Pygmy); Poultry (Breeding & Market); Sheep (Breeding & Market); Swine; Rabbits (Breeding & Market), and Alpacas/Llamas.
Members are required to attend one Quality Assurance Clinic taught by a certified instructor. Members should sign in at the beginning of the clinic and complete a questionnaire at the end of the clinic. Please return the questionnaire to an adult instructor at the clinic.

The SECOND QA Clinic will be Sunday, May 23rd from 2:00 – 3:30 p.m., in the Ed Sands/Farm Bureau Building. Advanced registration is required and attendance will be limited to 40 youth. RSVP by completing the survey at this link.

Homegrown Market Wether and Homegrown Market Rabbit Forms due May 1st

Please be reminded that intent forms to participate in the Homegrown Market Wether (goat) and also the Homegrown Market Rabbit programs are due by Saturday, May 1st. Both forms are completed through an online survey using the links below.

In order to compete in the Homegrown Market Wether (goat) class at the Fairfield County Fair, exhibitors must enroll in 135M and will need to submit their intention by May 1st. To do so, please visit this link and complete the online survey: http://go.osu.edu/2021hgwether
In order to compete in the Homegrown Market Rabbit class at the Fairfield County Fair, exhibitors must enroll in 226 Market Rabbits and will need to submit their intention by May 1st. To do so, please visit this link and complete the online survey: http://go.osu.edu/2021hgrabbit

Barrow and Lamb MQP Applications Due May 1st

Please be reminded that applications to participate in the Barrow MQP and also the Lamb MQP programs are due by Saturday, May 1st. The application along with an essay not to exceed 300 words must be postmarked by May 1, or received in the OSU Extension office before the close of business on May 3, 2021 (since the 1st falls on a Saturday).

The applications may be found here: https://go.osu.edu/fclivestockresources
How can you submit your application and essay?
1. You may drop the off at the Extension Office by scheduling an appointment by calling 740-653-5419.
2. Mail it via US Postal Service. Entries must be postmarked by May 1st.
3. Drop it in locked drop box on the east side of the building (marked with a 4-H clover sign).
4. Submit by uploading to the Member Virtual Drop Box: http://go.osu.edu/memmailbox

Attention STATE FAIR livestock exhibitors – PLEASE READ!

Those who plan to exhibit at the 2021 Ohio State Fair will need to complete their Quality Assurance by June 1st, 2021. Members must also be enrolled at the county level by May 1st in the project(s) they intend to exhibit at the Ohio State Fair. Our office will be asked to verify both QA  completion and that members are enrolled in the correct projects (breeding projects, for example) on all Ohio State Fair junior livestock entries.

Information about the Ohio State Fair is expected to be released in early May – including a schedule. The Ohio State Fair will not be open to the public in 2021. State Fair dates are July 19 – August 8, 2021. Additionally, we expect entries to be due by June 20th (online) like past years. Here is the link to the Ohio State Fair livestock website.

4-H and FFA members must make OSF entries online at https://ohiostatefair.com/livestock/

No late OSF entries will be accepted. Additionally, you may review the link above to confirm rules and possession dates for the Ohio State Fair.

Attention Ohio State Fair Swine Exhibitors:

  • 4-H youth who wish to take a GILT in the Junior Swine Show MUST be enrolled in the Breeding Swine Project. There is no Market Gilt Show at the Ohio State Fair. This project must be submitted by your May 1st enrollment deadline via 4-HOnline.
  • New for 2021: Youth who are taking hogs to the Ohio State Fair must have a parent/guardian certified in Pork Quality Assurance (PQA) by June 20th. One parent can complete this certification for all children in the family (household). The certification is good for 3 years and is required by the packer at the state fair. The certification number is required when making swine entries on June 20th (you will be asked to enter that information). For more information on how to complete this requirement, please contact Leslie Cooksey at cooksey.25@osu.edu.
  • Additionally, the Ohio State Fair is Ractopamine (i.e. Paylean) free for market hogs. You will have to select that you understand this when making your Ohio State Fair entry and you will have to provide a signed affidavit at weigh-in at state fair.

Reminder: Fairfield County Swine Show Rules – Ractopamine (i.e. Paylean) Free Show

As a reminder, the Fairfield County Swine Show will be Ractopamine (i.e. Paylean) free. For more information, visit: u.osu.edu/nopaylean

All 4-H and FFA members and advisors need to take the time to review the information on the website listed above.

  • The OPEN class swine show is NOT a ractopamine-free show.
  • The JUNIOR show, IS ractopamine-free and Junior Fair Exhibitors will need to sign an affidavit indicating the pig was ractopamine-free at the time the Junior exhibitor acquired it. There will not be a form for breeders to sign.

 

4-HOnline Enrollment Due May 1st!

Thank you to the 195 adult volunteers, 904 Youth (Project) Members, and 162 Cloverbud Members who have completed their 4-HOnline Enrollment! We are just 3 DAYS away from the enrollment deadline – so for those who still need to choose to re-enroll, please do so!

Here are a few enrollment reminders:

Perfect Stay at Home 4-H Projects – DOWNLOAD these 4-H Books for FREE!

Download these 4-H Project Books for free. A special collection of project books is available for free on the Perfect Stay-at-Home Projects web page (https://ohio4h.org/stayathomeprojects). Click on the book you want, and when the file opens on your screen, save or print it from there.

The following 4-H Project Books are available and currently posted on the website listed above:

  • 173 Horseless Horse
  • 409 Sew Fun
  • 592 Get Started in Art
  • 459 Let’s Start Cooking
  • 462 Yeast Breads on the Rise
  • 359 Your Thoughts Matter
  • 405 The Laundry Project
  • 375 Leadership Road Trip: Where Are You Going?
  • 611 Explore the Outdoors
  • 621 Ohio Birds
  • 493 Science Fun with Kitchen Chemistry
  • 500 Science Fun with Physics

Please make sure these projects are added to your 4-H enrollment this year. If you have already submitted your enrollment and it has been approved, email Missy Koenig (koenig.398@osu.edu) with the changes you would like to make to your projects. Enrollments are due May 1st!

At this time we are planning to have 4-H project judging in-person July 12-15, 2021. Details will be forthcoming. Members will need to have a completed project book for judging (whether they purchase a book or download/print a copy of their book from the list above).