St. Paul, MN (9/06/22) 

4-H youth from across Minnesota’s 87 counties showcased their learning in the 4-H Building and the Livestock Arenas at the Minnesota State Fair. Throughout the year, 4-H youth select project areas that reflect personal areas of interest and pursue hands-on learning in both self-directed and guided environments. The results of their learning are exhibited at county fairs and other showcase events across the state. A collection of the best exhibits from each fair and showcase are brought to the Minnesota State Fair.

In the 4-H Building, 130 demonstrations were delivered and over 1,900 general exhibits were on display. In a continuation of the virtual state showcase format developed in 2020, nearly 90 of the general exhibits were judged virtually this year.  Exhibiting project work and delivering public presentations at the state fair provides youth an opportunity to showcase their achievements and continue learning through interactive conference judging with project experts and team experiences. The presentations, exhibits and presence of 4-H youth from diverse communities across Minnesota brought renewed and welcomed energy to the 4-H Building. 

MN 4-Hers also brought over 2,472 animals to the 2022 “Great Minnesota Get-Together” for this year’s 4-H livestock encampment, which was held Wednesday, Aug. 24th through Sunday, Aug. 28th. 

Members consider several components when deciding to exhibit livestock, including selection and preparation of the animal; educational programming; scholarship applications; and participation at county fairs.  

Education is integral in the “learn by doing” philosophy of 4-H. As part of the educational component, Minnesota 4-H requires every youth participating in the livestock encampment to participate in a livestock interview. Examples of the interview process include an online knowledge test, skill-a-thons and personal interviews about their project area. 

Along with interviews, all 4-H youth participating in livestock programming are required to complete the Livestock Quality Assurance and Ethics (LQA&E) Training. Through this certification, youth are educated on biosecurity, educating the public on the role of livestock and caring for their animal’s welfare. 

Check out the full list of MN State Fair 4-H results in the September 19th E-editon!