Month: May 2021

Bottle Cap Project – Update!

by

Thank you to those clubs who have been collecting caps for the Fairfield County Junior Leaders Bottle Cap Project! We are well on our way to collecting 1,000 lbs of plastic bottle caps!

Check out how many pounds your club has turned in below:

Bottle Cap Weigh In Update
Club Name TOTAL:
Champions 274
Green Extreme 161
Awesome Animals 131
Thurston Future Farmers 80
Sewing Shefs 79
Lithopolis Livestock 75
Kountry Kidz 46
Clearcreek Showmen 41
Shooting Stars 34
Extension Office 31
Wild About Animals 29
Pygmies Plus 13
Cloverleaf Livestock 8
Amanda Work & Win 7
KKEZ 5.5
Final Drive 2
Rough Riders 2
Pickerington Clovers 0.5

We will continue to collect bottle caps until Saturday July 10, 2021!

We will have one final weigh in that day at the Fairfield County Fairgrounds – More details coming soon.

If you are unable to attend the weigh in, please schedule a time to drop off your bottle caps at the Fairfield County Extension Office by calling 740-653-5419!

COVID-19 Update for Ohio 4-H Programs and Club Meetings

by

Updated COVID-19 Club Resources as of June 1st, 2021:

Face Mask Requirements

  • Face masks are not required to be worn outside at any other OSU Extension (including 4-H) programs and activities, including 4-H club meetings/events and county-level events conducted by OSU Extension.
  • Masks are still required at indoor events, when visiting the OSU Extension office, and at any 4-H club meeting/event/program, regardless of vaccination status. Program participants ages five and older, and parent/guardians must wear a mask. Medical conditions or disability exceptions are permitted. Other COVID-19 protocols, including social distancing, cohorts/pods and sanitizing remain in place.
  • When participating in outdoor activities, face masks are strongly recommended for those who are not yet fully vaccinated (strongly recommended means the individual chooses to wear a mask or not).

Include this message in your pre-meeting/event/program communications:

  • Individuals and/or family members may not attend if they or anyone living their household is experiencing any of the following symptoms: fever, cough, shortness of breath, loss of sense of taste or smell, or as been directly exposed (confirmed or suspected) to COVID-19 if they are not fully vaccinated. COVID-19 vaccinations are our best current protection against infection and a fatal outcome. Fully vaccinated individuals are not required to wear a face mask outdoors, however we strongly recommend eligible, but unvaccinated, individuals to continue to properly wear a face mask when social distancing cannot be maintained

Find details at Ohio 4-H Planning Guide for In-Person Meetings & Events (link: https://ohio4h.org/families/stay-connected). Ohio 4-H continues to adjust guidelines as appropriate, and is relying on 4-H professionals, clubs, volunteers, parents and members to follow these guidelines so that activities continue to take place in person. These guidelines can change at any time if conditions change, or guidelines are not followed.

Reminder of Meeting Ohio 4-H Guidelines that went into effect April 26, 2021:

  • Club meetings and events can meet in larger groups than the previous limit of 50, as long as they can maintain physical distance, wear masks and practice good hand hygiene.
  • Fundraisers and community service activities may now take place. These events need to follow physical distancing, masking, and sanitizing guidance.
  • Food booths are permitted with local health department approval.
  • For other fundraisers involving food, food must be pre-packaged and dine-in events are not permitted.
  • Follow your local health department guidelines as they take precedence.
  • Potlucks and buffets are not permitted. Only pre-packaged food (e.g., boxed lunches) may be served.
  • In addition to the guidance from the Ohio Department of Health, county and city health departments may release local health advisories limiting activities or encouraging additional caution. When a local health advisory is in effect, 4-H club meetings and activities must follow that guidance when it is more restrictive than these guidelines.

Ohio State Fair Swine Department Changes & Updates – A must read for those planning to take hogs to the OSF!

by

For those Fairfield County 4-H interested in showing swine at the Ohio State Fair this summer, there are several rules you need to be aware of…please continue to read this entire email and the Ohio State Fair website for all details. This information was also send by email on Friday, May 21st to all 4-H youth enrolled in 4-H swine projects.

Exhibitors: Join the Ohio State Fair Livestock and Animal Exhibitors Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/osflivestock for ongoing updates about competitions, move-in dates, weigh-ins, and more.

The 2021 Ohio State Fair Livestock department rules have been posted at: https://ohiostatefair.com/agriculture-livestock/livestock/.

I want to draw special attention to the swine department as they have several rules that will be important to youth exhibiting at the 2021 Ohio State Fair.

  • Ohio State Fair will be a ractopamine free fair.
    • THERE MAY BE TESTING FOR RACTOPAMINE AT ALL SESSIONS.
  • Exhibitor Affidavit for the Market Barrow Show will be required.
  • Market Barrows will be required to have an 840 Tag. OSF prefers that they be the EID (Electronic Identification) 840 Tags but will accept non-EID this year.
    • These should be placed in the pig from the breeder they originate from, if possible, please have them placed in the RIGHT EAR.
    • If you do not have one, you will want to work with your local vet.
  • All swine must be tagged with an 840 tag.
  • All exhibitors must have a premise ID (this is based on the location the pigs were raised, so the same premise ID will cover all siblings).
  • All Market Exhibitors will be required to enter parent/guardian Pork Quality Assurance (PQA) Certification ID# at the time of entry.
    • Remember, if the parent/guardian completed this last year, they are good for 3 years and can use the certification ID# they received last year (or within 3 years)
    • If they need to be certified, an PQA trainer can enroll them in the FREE, online course (I am happy to enter those that need it, cooksey.25@osu.edu).
    • Information needed to enroll in the course: Parent Name, Date of Birth, Address, Email Address
  • SESSION 3 – MARKET BARROWS (Partial Terminal Show-ONLY GRAND &RESERVE BARROWS ARE TERMINAL)
    • All other barrows are the responsibility of the exhibitor and must be removed from the fairgrounds after the show.
    • A market is not available in 2021

For questions on these rule updates, please contact the OSF swine department at: osfswine@gmail.com

 

Entries can also be made online at this website and will be due June 20th.

When registering, here are some helpful hints.

  1. All entries must be submitted online.
  2. Please allow time to complete the entry process, as the system will shut down at 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, June 20. Entries will be locked automatically after midnight.
  3. Late entry fees will be charged ($75.00) beginning June 21 and late entries will be accepted through July 20. Late entries must be emailed to Barb Prince, Entry Department (b.prince@expo.state.oh.us). Upon receipt of the email the entry department will make contact to secure credit card information. Please reference your department division for more details and to see if late entries are accepted.
  4. All junior livestock exhibitors must provide their date of birth. Date of birth is not required for open entries.
  5. Junior 4-H exhibitors must list the county in which the project is registered (in some cases, this is not the same as the county in which you live). You must list your county educator or Extension agent (Leslie Cooksey) as the contact to verify your entry, NOT your 4-H advisor. 4-H members must be enrolled in the correct project at the county level to be eligible for entry into the Junior Division at the Ohio State Fair. No changes will be made to county 4-H enrollments at this time as they were due May 1st (with additions/changes due May 7th) for Fairfield County 4-H members. Youth who are not enrolled at the county level for the correct project will be denied entries at the Ohio State Fair.
    • Market Barrows – Exhibitors must be enrolled in 139 Market Hog
    • Breeding Gilts – Exhibitors must be enrolled in 140 Swine Breeding
    • There is no market gilt show at the Ohio State Fair
  6. All junior exhibitors should include their shirt size.
  7. All market swine projects must be ractopamine free. All market swine exhibitors will be required to bring a completed copy of this affidavit with them.
  8. Reminder: All exhibitors who win more than $499 in premiums must visit the Ohio Supplier website. In the past, exhibitors were required to submit Vendor Information Forms and W-9 forms; this new process has been in place for the last couple of years. If not completed, your premium payment cannot be processed. If you have registered using the Ohio Supplier website in previous years and nothing has changed (such as your address or banking information), then it is not necessary to update this information or attempt to register again.
  9. Fairfield County 4-H/FFA youth MUST complete Quality Assurance by June 1st if planning to exhibit at the Ohio State Fair. Quality Assurance Options can be found here.

Countywide Quality Assurance Makeup Session added for June 10th

by

A third in-Person Countywide Make-Up Clinic has been added for Thursday, June 10th at 7:00 p.m.  at the Ed Sands Building at the Fairgrounds. 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

Quality Assurance DUE for Ohio State Fair exhibitors by June 1st

by

Fairfield County 4-H and FFA youth planning to exhibit at the Ohio State Fair must have their Quality Assurance completed by June 1st, 2021. Youth who do not meet this requirement, will have any entries denied.

If youth still need to complete Quality Assurance to meet this requirement and your club/chapter is not planning to host their own QA Clinic by June 1st, we recommend you complete QA through the Youth for the Quality Care of Animals online modules. Again, this is the only acceptable online version of Quality Assurance approved by the Ohio Department of Agriculture.

  • 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.

Attention 4-H/FFA Horse Exhibitors: Items due by June 1st to OSU Extension

by

Reminder, the following forms are due for Primary AND Back-up horses on June 1st to the OSU Extension Office. Please work with your 4-H/FFA Advisor as they will likely submit all forms on behalf of your club/chapter.

  • Negative Coggins Test
  • Horse ID Form with Photos
  • Horse Lease (if applicable)
  • Housing Form (if needed)

 

Ohio State Fair Livestock Judging Contest Information

by

If anyone is interested in participating in the Ohio State Fair 4-H Livestock Judging Contest, please reach out to Leslie Cooksey at cooksey.25@osu.edu.

We hope you and your team are looking forward to our return to in-person contests in 2021. We will be switching this year’s contest from our traditional Friday to Thursday, July 29th to avoid conflict with many beef and swine breed show opportunities for youth at the Ohio State Fair. For those unable to join this updated event, please reach out to Benjamin Wenner or Greg Meyer regarding any seniors you have who want to try out for the Ohio 4-H Livestock Judging Team. We are very sorry for the inconvenience this may cause but had to prioritize the availability of the overall group.

The rules and registration form for the contest are attached. Your registration is due by July 16. You must pre-register and we cannot accept day-of registrations. Packet pick-up will begin at 8:30 am on July 29th, and the contest will begin at 10:00 am. As we get closer and teams register, we will send out a map with entrance/parking directions and will include more details.

As a reminder, Ohio 4-H events are operated under health guidance from OSU and as such we have not lifted mask rules for indoor events, regardless of vaccination status. While we live in an ever-evolving situation, the current guidance would include masks worn during oral reasons. We will update you if this rule changes as OSU permits.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Benjamin Wenner (wenner.20@osu.edu), Lizz Share (share.8@osu.edu), or Greg Meyer (meyer.213@osu.edu).

 

Thanks,

 

Benjamin Wenner, M.S., Ph.D., P.A.S.

Assistant Professor – Clinical

Department of Animal Sciences

The Ohio State University

 

222E Animal Sciences Bldg

Columbus, OH 43210

wenner.20@osu.edu

Ohio State Fair Poultry Judging Contest and Avian Bowl Contest Rules

by

A link to the 2021 Ohio State Fair 4-H Poultry Judging Contest Rules and Ohio State Fair 4-H Avian Contest Rules are posted on the Poultry Calendar of Events page at https://ohio4h.org/animalsciences/poultry/poultry-calendar-events  or www.poultry.osu.edu. The postmark deadline for entries for both the Poultry Judging Contest and Avian Bowl is Friday, June 25, 2021. Both contests will be held at the Department of Animal Sciences on The Ohio State University Camps on Saturday, July 17.

Feel free to share with youth/volunteers interested in either event. 😊  However, we also want to share the flowing information.

Please be aware that although the state of Ohio is currently scheduled to lift several COVID-19 restrictions at the beginning of June, The Ohio State University, and therefore Ohio 4-H, may still mandate restrictions.

  • For the 2021 Avian Bowl and Poultry Judging Contests, unless announced otherwise, everyone (contestants, volunteers, advisors, family members, officials, etc.) will be required to wear a mask when in the contest rooms or walking around the building (to/from contest rooms, to/from the restroom, etc.).  All teams will have assigned areas to maintain social distancing where they may take their masks off when seated in their assigned area.
  • Failure to abide by these guidelines will result in the disqualification of the entire team.

We may also restrict the number of individuals allowed into the building per team (i.e. only 6 individuals per team (including the contestants, coach, and any family members).  This will depend on the number of teams per age division that register for the contest.  This information will be updated and emailed to coaches after registration is closed.

Design Your Own 4-H Boots Contest with BOGS Boots!

by

BOGS Boots is asking for kids and adults to help design the next limited-edition BOGS 4-H boot. Participants are encouraged to draw something that represents a 4-H activity or their own 4-H experience for the chance to have their design reproduced on the limited-edition boots. This contest is open to both kids and adults and ends June 1. Details here. Contest Entry Form: Bogs Design A Boot Contest

Ohio State Fair Scholarship Application: Due June 15th, 2021 (and it’s not just for livestock exhibitors!)

by

This year’s Ohio State Fair scholarship application is now live on https://ohiostatefair.com/competitions/scholarships/. Scholarships will be awarded to junior exhibitors during the Ohio State Fair. Applicants will be judged on scholastic standing, citizenship and leadership, Ohio State Fair participation, county fair participation, and financial need. Apply by June 15, 2021!