2024 Quality Assurance Trainings

The first Hartford Fair Livestock Quality Assurance (QA) Training for 2024 will take place soon! Any junior fair exhibitor that plans to show livestock at either the Hartford Fair or Ohio State Fair MUST complete an approved QA training by June 1, 2024 in order to be eligible to show in 2024. We are excited to return to holding QA trainings IN PERSON this year. Please review the Junior Fair Livestock Quality Assurance Guidelines for all requirements and a list of approved trainings. Please ensure you have a plan to either attend an in-person training or complete the online YQCA module BEFORE June 1, 2024.

Our first county-wide program will take place on Thursday, March 21, 2024 at 6:30pm at Watkins Memorial High School.

SPECIAL NOTES:

  • Photos for fair IDs will NOT be taken at QA programs in 2024. We will have a process similar to last year where members will be able to upload a photo themselves instead of having photos taken by fair staff. More details on that to come at a later date!
  • There will NOT be a Horse Safety and Ethics training option during the QA trainings. ALL horse members will be required to complete the online EquiSTEP training module. More details can be found HERE.
  • Only Licking County 4-H/FFA Quality Assurance Programs will address program changes and updated for the Hartford Fair. If you choose to attend another QA program or complete the YQCA online module, please ensure that you are watching for updates through the Licking County Extension and Hartford Fair websites and that you check in with your advisor(s) for updates and changes as well.

2024 Hartford Fair Junior Fair Livestock Sales Brochure

The 2024 Hartford Fair Junior Fair Livestock Sales Brochure is available. If you have a youth who is planning to participate in one of the livestock sales at the fair this year, please review this brochure carefully. Please pay special attention to the earlier start time for the small animal sale.

2024 Meat Chicken and Duck Pool Order Forms

The 2024 Meat Chicken Pool and 2024 Meat Duck Pool order forms are now available. Forms are due with payment to the Licking County Extension Office by 4:00pm on Friday, April 19, 2024. ALL junior fair exhibitors who are planing to enter market chicken or market duck classes at the Hartford Fair MUST purchase their chickens or ducks through the poultry pool ordering process.

Hartford Fair Logo

2024 Pullorum Tester Certification Course & Live Q&A Webinar

The Pullorum tester certification training course is available virtually. The class is a recording and able to be viewed at your convenience any time of the year. You may register to become a tester on the Ohio Poultry Website under Upcoming Events in the Backyard Flocks tab.

With the class being virtual, OPA is offering a Q&A webinar to ask questions. During the webinar, OPA will also give an update on HPAI and Ohio State University veterinarian Dr. Tim McDermott will present on the top 10 poultry disease in backyard flocks.

The live Q&A webinar will be Tuesday, April 23rd at 12:00pm. The webinar will be recorded.

You must register in advance for this webinar at this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_xKZEBxllReu0fhI8FzKYtQ

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Ohio State Fair Updates

If you are planning to exhibit livestock or participate in the dog shows at the Ohio State Fair, please review the information below to ensure you are aware of changes and updates for the 2024 Ohio State Fair.

General:

  • Exhibitors MUST be enrolled in the project they want to exhibit at the state fair, even if the county doesn’t offer it at fair (i.e., swine breeding).
  • All Junior Exhibitors must enter their projects online, details available on the OSF website.
    • No late market or breeding (new 2024) entries

Ownership deadlines changed:

MARKET ANIMALS –

  • Market beef – January 1
  • Market swine – May 23
  • Market lambs – May 23
  • Market goats – May 1
  • Dairy feeders – June 1
  • Market rabbits – June 1
  • Market poultry – within 5 days of hatch

BREEDING ANIMALS –

  • Breeding Beef – May 22
  • Breeding Swine – May 22
  • Breeding Sheep – May 22
  • Breeding Goats – May 16
  • Breeding Poultry – May 31
  • Breeding rabbits – May 31
  • Dairy Cattle – May 22

BEEF Department

  • All cattle must arrive with 840 EID in place
    • 15-digit number starting with 840
    • Breeding can use tattoo as SECONDARY ID
  • BVD testing required for all cattle
    • exception of Commercial Cattle
    • One test good for lifetime
  • BEEF BREEDING
    • Crossbred breeding heifers will be required to submit a DNA packet with 840 EID tag information, reach out to Andi Hershey for packets (a.hershey@expo.ohio.gov )
    • Due Date: Postmarked by June 1st

DOG Department

  • Show starts, June 17th

SWINE Department:

  • The Jr Swine Show requires ALL hogs to have:
    • 840 tag
    • Premise ID
  • To exhibit breeding swine, must be enrolled in the project at the county level

2024 Livestock Requirements Summary

The 2024 Hartford Junior Fair Livestock Requirements Summary is now available. This document has all of the pertinent dates and information for all livestock projects. Please review it carefully to ensure you know all deadlines and requirements for your livestock project.

2024 Turkey Pool Order Form

The order form for the 2024 Hartford Fair Junior Market Turkey Pool is now available HERE. Forms with payment must be mailed or delivered to the Licking County Extension Office by 4:00pm on Friday, March 1, 2024. ALL meat turkey projects will come from the Hartford Fair meat turkey pool. If you intend to show meat turkeys at the fair in 2024, you must submit an order by the deadline to be eligible. Please read through all the details on the order form.

Webinar on Poultry Safety and Update on HPAI Outbreak in Ohio

The recent HPAI outbreak in multiple counties in Ohio has resulted in over 4 million birds being affected and prompted a lot of questions.  Tim McDermott will be hosting a webinar on Tuesday December 19th at 6pm in collaboration with the USDA Incident Response Team to try to get as much information to our communities as well as provide an opportunity for you to learn more about the outbreak and how it is affecting both the Ohio poultry industry and the backyard/4-H poultry communities.  This is a great opportunity to ask questions and see what educational support is available.

Here is the list of topics to be discussed:

  • Biosecurity basics
  • Symptoms and signs of HPAI in poultry
  • Control Area – what is it and what does it mean for backyard farms?
  • Surveillance Zone – what is it and what does it mean for backyard farms?
  • How long does a quarantine last?
  • What is the status of the incident?
  • What can you do if you have questions?
  • Q&A

More information can be found at: go.osu.edu/HPAI