March Newsletter
Furnas County
~ In this Newsletter ~
- Events & Deadlines
- 4-H Enrollment
- 4-H Calendar
- Snow Day Information
- 4-H Carnival
- Shooting Sports Update
- Jerome Becker Scholarship
- Livestock Weigh in
- Premise ID
- Livestock Nominations/Identification
- Spring Programs
- Statewide News/Events
- Club Leader Resources
- March Birthdays
- Office Closed
- County Fair Dates
- 4-H Council Members 2024
- Extension Office Contact Information
Upcoming Events & Deadlines
March 6th - Pesticide Training in Arapahoe
March 11th - Speech Contest
March 15th - Ag Safety Day
March 16th - Beef Weigh in at Anderson's Feedlot
March 25th - YQCA in Arapahoe at the HS Ag Classroom
March 27th - Animals Inside & Out in Phelps County
April 6th - 4-H Carnival
April 26th - Extension Office will be closed in observance of Arbor Day
April 27th - Furnas County 4-H Shoot
May 18th - Sheep & Goat Weigh-In
May 22nd - Clover Kid Camp
May 27th - Extension Office will be closed in observance of Memorial Day
May 29th - YQCA in Beaver City at the Blue Ribbon
June 15th - 4-H Enrollment Deadline
June 15th - Showstock Manger Deadline
June 15th - Livestock Pre-Entry Forms Due
June 19th - Extension Office will be closed in observance of Juneteenth
July 4th - Extension Office will be closed in observance of 4th of July
July 10th - County Fair Clean Up Day
July 10th - Talent & Fashion Show Pre-Entry Forms Due
July 15th - 20th 2024 Furnas County Fair
~ 4-H Enrollment ~
Starting in the 2023-2024 program year, project selection is now optional. By successfully completing the 4-H member enrollment by the June 15th deadline, youth will be eligible to participate and exhibit in any project area, contest, county and state fairs. While project selection is optional, it is encouraged for youth to select projects they are interested in exploring.
Please note:
o Youth are only eligible to exhibit in a project area or contest in a single county.
o Horse and shooting sports projects will continue to require project enrollment due to the parental consent required to participate in these projects.
~ Snow Day Information ~
In the event of inclement weather 4-H or Extension events may need to be cancelled or postponed. Please refer to the Furnas County Facebook page for updates. https://www.facebook.com/furnascountyext
~ 4-H Carnival ~
This event will take place Saturday, April 6th at 7:00 p.m. at the Ella Missing Center in Arapahoe and will be hosted by Beaver Aggies. Call the office to reserve your club booth.
DRAWING PRIZE TICKETS-- Tickets can be picked up from your 4-H club leaders or at the Extension Office after February 16th. All tickets need to be turned in NO LATER than 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, April 6th at the Ella Missing Center in Arapahoe. Tickets can be turned in prior to 4:00 p.m. on Friday, April 5th to the Extension Office.
Club donations: Each club is to donate the following:
6 Decorated Cakes
2 Plain Cakes (frosted)
1 gallon of homemade ice cream
Reminder: The top 2 4-H'ers that sells the most tickets will be the 4-H ambassadors for the evening and will receive $100 for a camp trip of their choice. Any 4-H'er selling 100 or more tickets will be awarded $10 towards a camp trip or on a 4-H project. Clover kids are welcome to participate but not required to sell tickets.
~ Shooting Sports Update! ~
We will be having an organizational meeting Sunday, February 25th at 2:00. I have attached a sign-up sheet to bring completed (please include your hunter safety number if shooting trap) and an information sheet of some important dates. We will have a fun shoot for trap Sunday but will not start Archery & BB gun until Saturday March 9th. If you are shooting Archery & BB gun only and prefer not to come Sunday, please join us on March 9th to register. If you are no longer interested in Shooting Sports and would like to be taken from our mailing list, please let us know. Hope to see everyone there.
~Jerome Becker Memorial Scholarship ~
The Jerome Becker Memorial Scholarship program is sponsored by the Furnas County Livestock Association. The annual scholarships are awarded to graduating high school seniors or to students currently enrolled in post high school education.
The screening and selection of scholarship recipients will be done by a special scholarship committee appointed by the Furnas County Livestock Association board of directors. The committee will select two winners and one alternate winner. Applications are due in the Extension Office by April 12th and the winners and alternate will be notified by May 1st.
Attention AKSARBEN Update!!!
Youth exhibiting ONLY in AKSARBEN will need to order and pay for their DNA envelopes directly from the AKSARBEN Stock Show website.
~ Livestock Weigh-in ~
4-H Market Beef Information
All youth who plan to show a Market Beef animal at the 2024 County Fair, State Fair, or AKSARBEN need to receive an 840 EID tag and complete their Pre-Entry Form. The tag and form can be picked up at your local Extension Office.
State Fair animals must also have DNA hair samples taken and turned into the county office by June 15th. DNA envelopes are available at the Extension office.
Market Beef Weigh-in Date
Market beef ONLY needs to be weighed for the optional county rate of gain contest. There will be one Beef Weigh Date and one alternate date in case of weather this year in Furnas County.
Attend a county beef weigh-in to receive an EID tag, weight, and pulled DNA (if planning to go to SF). The deadline to identify and nominate market beef for County or State Fairs is June 15.
March 16, 2024
Anderson's Feedlot
42350 Rd 724
Arapahoe, NE 68922
9am-11am
March 23, 2024
(Alternative Date)
Anderson's Feedlot
42350 Rd 724
Arapahoe, NE 68922
9am-11am
4-H Market Sheep & Goat Information
All youth who plan to show a Market Sheep & Goat animals at the 2024 County Fair & State Fair need to have an official USDA scrapie tag and complete their Pre-Entry Form. The forms can be picked up at your local Extension Office. If you don't have an official USDA scrapie tag you will need to contact Sheri Gillham with the USDA. #402-434-2302
State Fair and Aksarben animals must also have DNA hair samples taken and turned into the county office by June 15th. DNA envelopes are available at the Extension office.
Market Sheep & Goat Weigh-in Date
Market sheep & goat ONLY needs to be weighed for the optional county rate of gain contest.
Attend a county sheep & goat weigh-in to receive a weight and pulled DNA (if planning to go to SF). The deadline to identify and nominate market sheep & goat for County or State Fairs is June 15.
May 18, 2024
Furnas County Fairgrounds
1200 9th Street
Beaver City, NE 68926
9am
~ Premise ID ~
What is a premise ID?
A premises identification number (PIN) is a unique code that is permanently assigned to a single physical location. A premise ID is administered by each State and allows animal health officials to quickly and precisely identify where animals are located in the event of an animal health or food safety emergency.
- Any animal that carries an 840 EID tag requires the exhibitor to obtain a Premise ID.
- A Premise ID does not identify the animal but instead the location of that animal.
To get a Premise ID Number:
Complete the Premises ID Registration Form
Email the completed form to agr.cvi.ne@nebraska.govor mail to:
Nebraska Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Protection 301 Centennial Mall South P.O. Box 94787 Lincoln, NE 68509-4787
If you have any questions, contact Britney Hagood, Animal Disease Traceability Program Manager, at 402-471-6865 or britney.hagood@nebraska.gov
~ 2024 4-H County Fair Animal Nomination & Identifcation Requirements ~
All 840 Tags and Forms are available at the local Extension Office.
- Market Beef- All market beef must be identified with a federally accepted 840 EID electronic identification (EID) tag. Any animal carrying an 840 EID tag will require the exhibitor to obtain a Premises ID. Paper ownership affidavit (Pre-Entry Form) must be turned in to the local Extension office by June 15.
- Breeding Beef– Any Breeding Heifer project animal enrolled in 4-H must be born between August 2022-Janurary 2024. Breeding beef does NOT need a specific 4-H tag. Paper ownership affidavits (Pre-Entry Form) must be turned in to the local Extension office by June 15. State Fair - Registered heifers are required to have a copy of registration papers & DNA sample submitted to the office by June 15.
- Stocker Feeder: All stocker feeders must be born within the current year (2024) and be identified with a farm tag. Paper ownership affidavits (Pre-Entry Forms) must be turned in to the local Extension office by June 15. State Fair – Feeder calves will now be required to have an EID Tag and submit a DNA sample/envelope to be eligible to exhibit by June 15.
- Bucket Calf: All bucket calves must be born within the current year (2024) between January 1 and June 1 and be identified with a farm tag. Calves are to be fed on bucket or bottle and/or dry feed only. Calves are to be away from real or substitute mothers from June 15.
- Market Swine- All market swine must be identified with a federally accepted 840 EID electronic identification (EID) tag. Any animal carrying an 840 EID tag will require the exhibitor to obtain a Premises ID. Paper ownership affidavit (Pre-Entry Form) must be turned in to the local Extension office by June 15. All market swine must be born in the current year (2024).
- Market Lambs and Market Goats- All market lambs and market goats must be born in the current year (2024) & be identified with an official USDA scrapie tag. Paper ownership affidavits (Pre-Entry Form) must be turned in to the local Extension office by June 15.
- Breeding Sheep and Goats- All ewes and does (registered and commercial) must be identified with an official USDA scrapie tag. Paper ownership affidavits (Pre-Entry Form) must be turned in to the local Extension office by June 15.
- Horse- All horses that will be shown at the County, District &/or State Horse Show must be appropriately identified on the Nebraska Horse identification affidavit and Entry form turned into the local Extension office by May 6 for State (subject to change) and June 15 for County Only.
- Rabbits & Poultry- Rabbits and poultry do not have a nomination/id form requirement in order to exhibit at the County Fair. Paper ownership affidavit (Pre-Entry Form) must be turned into the local Extension office by June 15th. County-only rabbits will not be required to have an ear tattoo. State Fair Rabbits do require ear tattoos.
- Dogs-All dogs must have rabies vaccination certificate signed by a vet. Certificates are to be handed in to the Extension Office by June 15.
- Cats– All cats must have rabies vaccination certificate signed by a vet. Certificates are to be handed in to the Extension Office by June 15.
Reminders
· The due dates listed above mean that all tagging is complete, the animal information completed and in the possession of the local Extension office.
· No animal may be shown in both breeding and market classes.
~ Spring Programs ~
Brown Bag
RSVP by March 8th
RSVP by March 8th
Plublic Speaking Contest
Sign up by March 4th!
~ Statewide News/Events ~
Project Spotlight - 5 Often Overlooked Projects
We all know about the 4-H livestock, cooking and sewing projects. But with nearly 200 projects to choose from, there are likely some you aren't familiar with. These five often-overlooked projects offer real-world skills and unique experiences: go.unl.edu/2nd8
Or for more information, go to the following link -> https://4h.unl.edu/news/nebraska-4-h-5-underrated-practical-projects
As you begin making plans for 2024, be sure to check out the Special Garden Project. It offers a unique introduction to plant science. Members are given seeds and guided through planting, growing, and harvesting seasons. Members can exhibit a cut flower or harvested vegetable at the fair if all goes well. Otherwise, youth can share their experience through a poster, story, or video exhibit. Next year, members will work with the PRINCESS INDIA NASTURTIUM. Visit 4h.unl.edu/spg to learn more.
~ 4-H Diamond Clover ~
The Nebraska 4-H Diamond Clover program encourages 4-H youth to engage in a variety of programs, projects, and activities that will prepare them for success in the future.
The program consists of six levels. For each level, the Nebraska 4-H Diamond Clover program provides a list of accomplishments from which 4-H youth choose their goals.
At the beginning of the 4-H year, participants plan what to accomplish and at the end of the 4-H year, they report on accomplishments. Successful completion of a level's Plan & Report form results in a 4-H youth earning that level of the Diamond Clover program.
~ Club Leader Resources ~
Nebraska 4-H offers a variety of resources for 4-H Clubs and leaders. A 4-H Club is an organized group of five or more youth who meet regularly with adult volunteers or 4-H staff for a long-term, progressive series of educational experiences. The purpose of a 4-H club is to provide positive youth development and foster educational opportunities to meet the needs of young people.
For 4-H Club Leader Resources follow this link https://4h.unl.edu/resources/club-leaders
~ March Birthdays! ~
~ Office Closed ~
Arbor Day
April 26th
Memorial Day
May 27th
Juneteenth
June 19th
~ 2024 Furnas County Fair ~
4-H Council Members 2023
President : RayAnn Roskop
Vice President: Brandon Andrews
Secretary: Laura McInturf
Treasurer:
4-H Council Rep: Leah tenBensel
Member: Tayley Becker
Member: Brooke Wendland
~ Furnas County Extension Office ~
Makayla Livingston
Email: makayla.livingston@unl.edu
Website: https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/furnas/
Location: 912 R Street, Beaver City, NE, USA
Phone: 308-268-3105
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/furnascountyext
Micky Blender
Furnas/Harlan 4-H Educator
Email:
Website: https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/furnas/
Location: 912 R Street, Beaver City, NE, USAPhone: 308-268-3105
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/furnascountyext