Deadlines

Beef Exhibitors: Showing at the 2025 Ohio State Fair – DNA/EID Tag Info

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The Ohio State Fair requires all market beef entered in the 2025 Ohio State Fair to have individual DNA samples taken from each animal that may potentially be entered. These DNA samples must be in the possession of the Ohio State Fair by January 15.  Attached is a document containing sample collection instructions: DNA Sample Collection Instructions 2025. Please read the attached instructions that will be a part of each sample collection kit, and contact the Ohio State Fair, if you have any questions (Andi Hershey, A.Hershey@expo.ohio.gov ).

Continuing in 2025: Ohio State Fair will NOT be providing EID tags for market beef entries.

Exhibitors must get their own 840 tags for their entries. The EID 840 tag number MUST be listed on the envelope with the DNA sample.

DNA sample collection kits will be available at the Fairfield County Extension Office (first come first serve as we will have a limited supply) and can be picked up by the individual directly from the OSF fairgrounds. Prior to submission, the nomination envelope for each sample kit remitted must be signed by either the 4-H professional or FFA advisor, depending in which organization the youth is taking the market animal(s).

Also note that youth showing at any of the BEST sanctioned shows must have EID tags in their calves prior to the first show in which they exhibit. BEST shows occurring prior to the January 15 deadline to submit samples to OSF include: Mardi Gras Masquerade (November 22-24, Circleville), AGR Holiday Classic (December 6-8, Columbus), Northern Lights BEST Show (December 13-15, Wauseon), Saddle & Sirloin Spectacular (December 27-29, Circleville), and Scarlet & Gray Midwest Showdown (January 3-5, Columbus). DNA kits will be available at these BEST shows, but exhibitors are responsible for submitting the kits directly to OSF.

Please remember:

  • Beef DNA/EID kits will be due to state fair by the normal January 15th date.  Kits will be mailed back to State Fair.

Drug Use Notification Forms – Market Poultry and Market Rabbit Exhibitors (due at midnight on weigh-in day)

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Animals must be drug free by weigh-in day of fair. Each member must complete a Drug Use Notification Form (DUNF) (http://go.osu.edu/fairfielddunf) form online for each animal they plan to exhibit prior to weigh-in at the fair. If the forms are not correctly completed, exhibitors will not be permitted to show.

Market Turkeys/Ducks/Chickens and Market Rabbits must complete a Drug Use Notification Form. One form per pen of chickens and one form for each pen of rabbits. 

Due to market poultry and market rabbits not having identification until weigh-in day, you will be able to submit your DUNF form AFTER weigh-in. It must be completed by MIDNIGHT on Saturday, October 5th.

Drug Use Notification Forms – due at NOON, Friday, October 4th for Market Beef/BEEF FEEDERS/DAIRY MARKET STEERS/Dairy Beef Feeders/Lactating Dairy Cows & Dairy Goats/Market Hogs/Market Goats/Market Lambs

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Animals must be drug free by weigh-in day of fair. Each member must complete a Drug Use Notification Form (DUNF) (http://go.osu.edu/fairfielddunf) form online for each animal they plan to exhibit prior to weigh-in at the fair. If the forms are not correctly completed, exhibitors will not be permitted to show. The link to the form will open on Monday, September 30th (as forms should be completed more than 5 days before fair weigh-in).

  • Animals requiring a DUNF indicating the animal is free from any/all drugs in its system on fair weigh-in/move-in day are:
    • Market Beef
    • NEW FOR 2024: BEEF FEEDER
    • NEW FOR 2024: DAIRY MARKET STEER
    • Dairy Beef Feeder
    • Dairy Cow (lactating)
    • MQP Hog
    • Market Barrow
    • Market Gilt
    • Market Goat
    • MQP Goat
    • Dairy Goat (lactating)
    • Market Chickens
    • Market Turkey
    • Market Duck
    • MQP Lamb
    • Market Lamb
    • Market Rabbit
  • Forms should be completed no sooner than 5 days prior to animal weigh-in to be sure that their animal is drug free during fair.
  • Forms submitted prior to that timeframe will be deleted and exhibitors will be asked to resubmit the DUNF form closer to their animal’s weigh-in. All animals being brought to the fair requiring DUNF forms will need to submit their forms by 12:00 p.m., Friday, October 4, 2024.
  • The only EXCEPTION to the Friday deadline will be Market Poultry and Market Rabbits who will complete DUNF Forms AFTER they receive tags/leg bands so they have identification information to enter into the DUNF Form. One form per pen of animals should be completed for Poultry and Rabbits. Deadline for poultry and rabbit exhibitors is MIDNIGHT on Saturday, October 5th.
  • Animals tagged with an EID 840 (15 digit tag) should include the last 6 digits in the identification field of the form.
  • Scrapie Tag numbers DO NOT need to be entered for market goats and market sheep – please use the last 6 digits of your EID 840 tag.
  • There should be ONE form submitted for each animal Exception: Each pen of rabbits and each pen of market chickens will need a form per pen.
  • Turkeys exhibitors will put N/A in the identification field.
  • Market Chicken exhibitors will put all 3 leg band numbers in the same identification field for their pen of chickens.
  • Market Rabbit exhibitors will put both tag numbers for their pair of rabbits in the identification field for their pen of rabbits.

Livestock Sale Updates for Fair (Sale Etiquette, Commissions, Add-On’s, Take Homes, Buyer Info)

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Livestock Sale Etiquette – Due to some concerns expressed from buyers and families, please make sure you review the Livestock Sale Etiquette fact sheet to learn the Do’s and Don’ts of Buyer communication.

Livestock Sale Update: Sale Commissions – Continuing for 2024: All dollars handled by the Livestock Sale Committee are subject to commission, not to exceed 4%. This includes direct to packer animals and all add-ons.

Livestock Sale Update: Add-Ons – Continuing for 2024: In order for an exhibitor to receive an add-on, the exhibitor must qualify for a sale slot as either an individual or in a group. Take Home animals are not able to receive add-ons. Parents and exhibitors should not be completing Add-On Forms on behalf of a buyer – it is the Buyer’s responsibility. Parents and exhibitors should not be including Add-On Forms in their buyer letters. Buyers can request an Add-On Form by contacting the Sale Clerk or picking up a paper copy on sale days. New for 2024: Add-On’s must be received by the Sale Clerk by 5:00 p.m. the last Saturday of fair week (Saturday, October 12th at 5:00 p.m.)

Livestock Sale Updates: Take Home Animals – The 2024 Fairfield County Fair Junior Fair will have a partial terminal sale/show for all species. This will allow for a Take Home option this year.

  • The exception to this is the 10 champions that must be slaughtered and inspected at a designated packer according to ODA (grand/reserve market beef, grand/reserve market dairy steer, grand/reserve market hog, grand/reserve market lamb, grand/reserve market goat).
  • Additionally, grand/reserve dairy beef feeders, grand/reserve market rabbits, grand/reserve market turkeys, grand/reserve market ducks, and grand/reserve market chickens will forfeit any take home option and must sell in the respective sale slots.
    • In the event that the buyer chooses to NOT KEEP any of the top non-terminal species (grand/reserve dairy beef feeders, grand/reserve market rabbits, grand/reserve market turkeys, grand/reserve market ducks, and grand/reserve market chickens), then the exhibitor may take their animal home if they completed a Take Home Form at weigh-in.
    • Any animal that does not have a packer bid (i.e. poultry) will be offered to the buyer, if turned, the owner is responsible for that animal.
  • Take homes will be allowed for all species with the exception of those all grand/reserve champions listed above.
  • Take homes must be declared before the animal leaves the scale during check-in (no exceptions). Exhibitors must express their intent to take home their animal by submitting the Take Home Form at weigh-in. Take Home Forms will be available from your Show Superintendent at weigh-in.
  • Take home animals will lose their sale slot and will not be eligible for a premium, packer bid, or add-on’s.
  • Exhibitors who do not take home must qualify for their sale slot (as individual or group) at the discretion of the species show committee.
  • Take Home animals will be released by the specie’s Superintendent. See Specie Department Rules and Junior Fair Schedule for details: https://go.osu.edu/fcjrbook.

Buyer Information

  • If exhibitors are aware of buyers who often choose to “KEEP” and wish to have animals processed for meat, it is important for the buyer to have arrangements made prior to fair with the harvest facility of their choice. This is due to limited availability for custom livestock harvest and processing capacity.
  • Please send buyers to the https://u.osu.edu/livestocksale/ website to review this information.

Did you complete an Ohio State Fair Virtual or In-Person Skillathon, be sure to turn in your 4-H/FFA Project Record Book by Sept. 20th

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Skillathons are required to exhibit at the Fairfield County Fair for exhibitors showing dogs, horses, dairy cattle, beef cattle, swine, sheep, goats, poultry, rabbits (no Pet Rabbit), and llamas/alpacas.

  • All 4-H/FFA Record Books will be checked during Skillathon dates for ALL projects (even if you completed the Ohio State Fair Virtual or In-Person Skillathons to meet the county Skillathon requirement).
  • If a participated in OSF Skillathon – books still need to completed and turned into the Extension Office by Friday, September 20th so that they can be reviewed by our Project Book judges on the second Skillathon date of Sunday, September 22nd.

Project Books

  • 4-H and FFA Record Books are required to be COMPLETED for each project.
  • 4-H Members should have a NEW 4-H Record Book each year they take the project.
  • 4-H and FFA Records Books will be reviewed at Skillathon.
    • For those who forget or don’t bring book – will need be completed and turned into the Extension Office by Friday, September 20th.
    • Exhibitors will who do not properly complete a record book for each of their fair projects WILL NOT be allowed to exhibit at the fair. NO EXCEPTIONS.
    • No books will be reviewed after September 22nd.

Final County Skillathon Date: Sunday, September 22nd

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The Fairfield County Junior Fair will require the completion of at least one Skillathon per 4-H/FFA exhibitor in order to show at 2024 Fairfield County Junior Fair for all beef, dairy, goat, poultry, rabbit (except Pet Rabbits), sheep, swine, dog, horse, alpaca/llama projects. The final county Skillathon date will be Sunday, September 22nd for DOGS, dairy/pygmy goats, horses, alpacas/llamas, poultry, and rabbits.

For a complete list of 2024 Skillathon details, please read the Required Activities for Species sections of the 2024 Junior Fair Book (see page 25-26).

Junior Fair Queen Applications Available: Due 9/6/2024

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The 2024 Fairfield County Junior Fair Queen Cover Letter and Application can be found here.

Signed Junior Fair Queen Applications (with photo) are due to the Extension Office by 4:00 pm on September 6, 2024. Don’t forget to sign the application and include a picture!

The top 10 candidates will be invited to interview on Tuesday, September 17th.

Junior Fair Commodity Ambassador/Representative Online Application Due September 15th

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New this year, all commodity ambassador/representative applications will be on ONE application. There will be one interview date to make selections for each commodity position. Please select and rank your interested commodity positions. Applications are due at 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, September 15th. Click here to access the application. Commodity Ambassador/Representatives we be selected for Alpaca/Llama, Beef, Canine, Caprine, Dairy, Equine, Lamb & Wool, Poultry, Rabbit, and Swine.

The purpose of the Junior Fair Commodity Ambassador/Ambassador Program is:

  • To inform others and promote 4-H/FFA programs while strengthening the species’ image.
  • To encourage specie projects in the 4-H/FFA programs.
  • To improve knowledge and presentation skills.
  • To build a portfolio of excellence for future reference.

Process:

  • Applications must be submitted to the OSU Extension Office by 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, September 15, 2024.
  • All applications will be reviewed by the selection committee(s), the top three individuals per specie will be selected for an interview by a panel of judges.
  • Interviews will be conducted in person on the evening of Monday, September 23rd (time TBD) at the Fairfield County Ag Center (OSU Extension Office).
  • The representative(s) will be selected from individuals interviewed and notified via phone following the completion of all interviews and will be publicly introduced at the Junior Fair Panorama during fair week (exception – Lamb and Wool Queen will be announced at the Guy’s and Gals Lead on Wednesday of fair).

Requirements:

  • Applicants must be an active 4-H/FFA member and at least 14 years old as of October 1st of the current year.
  • Applicants must have an active project in the relevant specie project for the current year and exhibit this project at the Fairfield County Junior Fair.
  • Representative will be required to attend the Panorama and speak about the specie represented.
  • Representative will assist with award presentations during the Junior Fair shows related to their specie. Representative should present awards in between showing their own animal(s).
  • Representative will assist with Junior Fair Livestock Sales on Thursday and Friday of fair week.
  • Representative must be available to make guest appearances at community functions on behalf of the specie and fair (i.e. parades, festivals, other fairs, and commodity events).
  • Representatives are strongly encouraged to participate in 4-H Day to promote 4-H project work for their specie (1st Saturday of March).
  • Female applicants can also run for Junior Fair Queen (if they meet those requirements). If selected for both, applicant will serve in commodity role on the day of that specie’s show.

 

IT’S THE LAST WEEK – Fairfield Co. Junior Fair Entries are due next Friday, August 23rd!

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FairEntry (https://fairfieldjrfairoh.fairentry.com) has been open to take entries for the 2024 Fairfield County Junior Fair since August 5th. Entries will be open through 11:59 p.m. Central Time on Friday, August 23rd.

4-H families will log in and make entries for their entire family using their 4-HOnline login information. If they also have a child in their family that participates in FFA only, they are able to make their entries using the same login. Please remember you will be using your 4-HOnline login information NOT creating a FairEntry login. Fair entries need to be made for all livestock, horse, dog, companion animal, cakes, pies, candies, pastries, projects that plan to be exhibited at the Fairfield County Junior Fair.

  • Exhibitors who participated in 4-H summer judging projects ONLY do not need to complete fair entries have already been added and your project is marked complete for this year.
  • 4-H Advisors who do not have their own children enrolled in 4-H will not be able to login in to FairEntry.
  • Please be sure to read this entire message as the list of Frequent Asked Questions is listed at the bottom.

FFA families will need to create a FairEntry login to create entries for their entire family. FFA exhibitors will be responsible for making their own livestock/horse entries through the online FairEntry submission process. County Ag Teachers will submit all shop/crop projects on behalf of their chapter and these respective projects should not be made through the FairEntry process by an exhibitor.

Please review this entire packet prior to beginning your entry process: 2024 FairEntry Instructions and Tips

If you have issues or questions regarding or during the process please contact Haley Black at black.768@osu.edu.

  • Fairfield County Fair Entries may be entered from August 4 – 23, 2024. Be sure to complete your entries (including the final “Submit” step) prior to 11:59 p.m. Central Time on August 23, 2024.
  • Register all entries for each exhibitor in the family before proceeding to the Payment section. No fees are charged for entries, the Payment section is part of the submission process.
  • Be sure to click the “Submit” button when you have completed your entries. Entries are not final until they have been submitted.
  • Check your email inbox for a submission confirmation email with a list of your entries.
  • You will receive a second email when your entries have been approved by the Fairfield County Fair.

Frequently Asked Questions:

  • See preferred browsers listed above. FairEntry is not super friendly on mobile devices (especially Safari) – but it is not impossible to navigate. Direct link for Junior Fair Entries: go.osu.edu/fairfieldfairentry
  • Showmanship age is age as of January 1st, 2024. Even if a member is IFFY about Showmanship right now, encourage them to sign-up. They can always scratch at fair.
  • In the case of HORSES and ALPACAS, their showmanship class is where they earn their grade and there must be an entry in showmanship before any other class in that department. Horse exhibitors can only have one showmanship entry.
  • In the case of DOGS, members must have an entry in You and Your Dog before any other class as this is where they earn their grade.
  • School Grade cannot be changed (doesn’t really matter)….because it carries forward from 4-H enrollment which should reflect grade as of 1/1/2024.
  • Rabbit Entries – If bringing two pens of market rabbits, they need to have 2 entries for market rabbits. When adding the animal (regardless of homegrown or not homegrown), identify pen 1 as “Pen 1” and identify pen 2 as “Pen 2”. Do not use “pen 1” on homegrown and “pen 1” again on a non-homegrown entry. You need declare the “animal” as two separate pens.
  • All animal entries should be made with the number of animals you PLAN to bring to fair so that Show Committees can plan for pen space. Example: I tagged in THREE pigs for live show back in June, I make TWO entries for the live show. Even if you don’t know which pigs for sure right now, enter the two you think you are bringing. If you end up bringing the backup, we will switch tag/sex on the hog when it checks in/weighs in at the fair. The animal will be declared to the exhibitor when it checks-in/weighs-in at the fair.
  • If a member is 4-H AND FFA they should make all entries at the same time with their 4-HOnline login. When starting the entry, you can select which 4-H Club or FFA Chapter the entry should be matched with.
  • Exhibitors must have separate projects between 4-H and FFA organizations. Acceptable: Beef Breeding entered through FFA and Market Beef entered through 4-H. Not Acceptable: One pig is entered through FFA and the second pig is entered through 4-H. Both market hogs must be entered with the same organization.
  • If an entry is sent back to the family to correct – IT IS NOT APPROVED. They should receive an email about what needs to be fixed, fix it, and resubmit their entries (invoice). Pay attention the the information highlighted in RED on your confirmation email.
  • It is helpful for 4-H families to add all exhibitor entries to their “invoice” and review before submitting for approval so we can review everything for the family at one time. There are no fees for Junior Fair, the program just refers to the submission as an invoice.
  • We have seen a couple invoices submitted with NO ENTRIES attached to the exhibitor. That’s great, but we need their entries. 🙂 You must select the green “continue to entry” or green “add an entry” button once they proceed with the entry process for each child. You can also click the green “entry” bar at the top of the page to navigate back to entries at any time. Add all entries before submitting. If you forget something, it’s okay. We have until August 25th to get entries in!