Nebraska Extension

Webster County

4-H News

621 North Cedar, Red Cloud, NE 68970-2326 (402) 746-3417 http://extension.unl.edu/statewide/webster

.……..STRAIGHT FROM THE HORSES MOUTH Duane A. Lienemann, Nebraska Extension Educator – Webster County

January 2017 Edition

The holidays are complete and we are starting a new year. So let me begin with wishing you all a Happy and

Prosperous 2017! It also seems to me that State Fair and Ak-Sar-Ben just got over, and here we are preparing for the

2017 Webster County Fair! That of course means that we will need to start talking about fair and preparation for fair. But that is not all…. There are a lot of other things that are of importance to our 4-H and FFA youth and their families.

Please read on and accept my personal wishes for a Happy and Prosperous New Year!

ALL LIVESTOCK EXHIBITORS PLEASE NOTE!!

YOUTH LIVESTOCK QUALITY ASSURANCE: I think everyone knows by now about the Youth Livestock

Quality Assurance program that we need to complete each year. If you exhibit beef, dairy, sheep, goats, rabbits, or

poultry you must have an YLQA card to show at county and state fair. You may remember from last year that the way we have done YLQA has changed. We now live in an “online” world and by offering this course “online” we are

striving to make Quality Assurance something youth can learn about anywhere, anytime, any pace, and any place. The

on-line course has been divided into three levels, Junior (4-H Youth Ages 8-10), Intermediate (4-H Youth Ages 11-14),

and Senior (4-H Youth Ages 15-18). Each year youth will be required to complete 3 modules within their age level. Youth are eligible to work ahead so that they will be done with the YLQA requirements until they reach the next age

level. You can find the online YLQA @ http://campus.extension.org/enrol/index.php?id=527.

Members who completed QA online last year: Go to http://campus.extension.org Login in the upper left hand corner with your login and password. Within the "Navigation" block, you can click "My courses" to find all eXtension courses

you are registered for. Click on “Livestock Quality Assurance”. NOTE: There is an annual fee for participating. You

will need to go to the "Course Payment" area of the class, and complete the online instructions to pay the enrollment fee. To find the modules you've completed, on the navigation bar, click "Grades". A complete listing of all your grades will

be available so you can see which modules you have previously completed. Written Instructions can be found at our

website: http://extension.unl.edu/statewide/webster/ or you can utilize a YouTube video which can be found at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gkYI3EOMzs&feature=youtu.be for completing Online QA. The County Code for Webster County is WEB. When in doubt please contact our office.

All 4-H exhibitors should also consider working on these modules at school or working with your FFA advisors. You

can also do this from home or if you wish come visit us at the Webster County Extension Office and get on line during regular Courthouse hours. There is a huge change this year in that the Nebraska 4-H has decided to charge each

exhibitor who does it on line $15 beginning March 1st. So be prepared for that if you go that route. We will also have

several YLQA sessions for those that would rather go face-to-face! Those classes will be held at the Webster County

Fairgrounds. The first will be on March 19th at 3:00 p.m. and the second one will be on May 17th at 6:30 p.m. We encourage all of the exhibitors that are in FFA to work with their FFA advisors in getting their training done

during the school year. If they take animal science classes in their curriculum, that will suffice for qualifying for credit.

Please work with your advisors on making arrangements for completing the requirements for Youth Livestock Quality Assurance and then let our office know of your completions.

Extension is a Division of the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln

cooperating with the Counties and the United States Department of Agriculture.

The 4-H Youth Development program abides with the non-discrimination policies of

the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and the United States Department of Agriculture.

MARKET BEEF EXHIBITORS It’s Time to Find Next Year’s Beef Project: Some of you will be looking for and purchasing your calves (if you

haven't already done so) for this next year's market and breeding beef projects.

Make sure that you get a bill of sale and a brand release from the person that you

buy your animals from. If it is a registered animal or will be showed in a purebred market beef show then make sure that the tattoo has been put in the ear…before

you take it home. I always have requests of where to find calves and I can

recommend several good sources. I am glad to say that Cindy Hinrichs from Ayr has contacted me and is offering some very good quality steers and heifers that she

has for a reasonable price. Feel free to give her a call at 402-984-7102. I know you

will see some good ones that will certainly work for you! You will need to consider a couple of things that are important when considering your market beef project. First, if you are planning on exhibiting a “Breed” steer (ie. Hereford, Angus,

etc.), you will need to obtain a “Purebred Steer Certificate” from our Extension office or your local FFA Advisor that

needs to have the bloodlines, registration numbers or the parents, its tattoo number and then a signature of the breeder and

date of ownership as well as your signature. This is not a registration paper and we are not asking for that for our fair, however registration papers are required if you plan to take the steer on to the Nebraska State Fair or Ak-Sar-Ben.

Webster County 4-H & FFA Market Beef Weigh-in January 22: We have already conducted the “early

weigh-in” for market beef back on December 11, but still have one remaining. Exhibitors wanting to show market steers or market heifers at the Webster County Fair, Nebraska State Fair, and/or Ak-Sar-Ben must identify and weigh in their

projects. The beef will be weighed at Blue Hill Livestock Sale Barn on Sunday, January 22 from 1:00-4:00 pm. Our

extension office asks that all exhibitors have your animals identified and put on the affidavit by that date if at all possible.

Electronic Identification: EID’s for all beef will be done at the weigh-in along with a 4-H or FFA tag. This will be a second tag in addition to the 4-H/FFA tag. EID and secondary tags are required for

the Webster County Fair and also for any market beef that may be going on to State Fair.

We request that you reserve the one-third of the left ear closest to the head for the EID

tag. We will have 4-H tags at the weigh-in site. If you are have to weigh your beef at another county please read the statement above. You may request 4-H tags and EID tags

from our office or FFA tags from your FFA Advisor. The 4-H Market Beef Affidavits are

available from the Extension Office in Red Cloud. FFA Market Beef Affidavits and tags are available from agriculture education instructors at your particular high school.

We will stick to our Webster County rule: Even though the tagging system for FFA and 4-H livestock entries for

the Nebraska State Fair has changed, we will still abide by our Webster County Rules: “All market beef must be tagged

with 4-H or FFA tags and EID’s (RFID Electronic Identification) placed by, or in the presence of, the Webster County UNL Extension Educator and/or area FFA Advisor. If the animal is to be weighed in at a different location than those set

by the Webster County Extension Office, then the Extension Educator from that county must obtain the EID and 4-H tag

from Webster County Extension office; or in the case of FFA exhibits, from the local FFA Advisor, and then must place or verify both tags in the beef’s ear(s) at the time of weighing. The official’s signature must be that of a UNL Extension staff

person or FFA Advisor, not a third party. The completed and signed affidavit sheet must then be returned to the Webster

County Extension office within 7 days of weigh-in; and if mailed, must arrive from that respective UNL Extension or FFA

Office. The animal will then be physically verified by the Webster County Extension Educator or FFA Advisor as to the correct tags matching the affidavit.”

What information do I need to bring to weigh-in? Each exhibitor will need to tell officials at weigh-in if the

animal is for the “PB Breed Steer” competition, and also if it is “Bred & Fed” or “Bought & Fed”. There is a clarification on the “Bred & Fed” in the Webster County Fair-book. Basically that title will mean that – “You or your

family owned the cow or heifer, which is the mother of the steer, at the time of the calf’s conception, and that it was born

and fed on your farm or place of project care”. We will also need to know the place and date of birth of the market beef

(Premise ID is ideal). It works best when exhibitors have that information ready for the sheet at weigh-in. Don’t forget –the County Fair dates influence your decisions for size of calf and how you feed them. Exhibitors will need to figure what

their calves will weigh at the target date for the Webster County fair that is slated for July 26, as many calves are weighed

in too heavy to finish properly.

What Should Your Market Steer Weigh? In planning for market beef enterprise, exhibitors should try to match the size of the calf that they pick out to match their intent. If it is the intent to “dead-end” the calf at the county fair then

exhibitors should figure from January 22 to July 26 for time on feed, which computes to 185 days until our county fair and

figuring 2.5 lbs/day, then your calf for a 1300# finish weight should be no more than 825 lbs, and 750 lbs with a 3#/day

gain. The exhibitor should keep in mind his/her goal weight (most common is 1250-1350 pounds), expected average rate of gain, type and amount of feed and the environment (both cold and hot), plus the growth potential (genetics) of their calf

in making their decision! For you that are interested in the Nebraska State Fair and/or Ak-Sar-Ben and plan bring a 1300

pound calf then you have 222 days to State Fair so your calf at 2.5 lbs/day should weigh no more than 750 lbs and at 3 lbs/day a 635 pound calf will work for January 22 weigh in.

What do I need if I am going on to Nebraska State Fair and/or Ak-Sar-Ben? 4-H exhibitors are reminded

that if they intend on going on to State Fair or Ak-Sar-Ben, they must have their beef DNA sampled. DNA is now also

required for FFA beef that will be going on to the Nebraska State Fair. There is a $6 per head charge for all DNA samples. This will also be done at the weigh-in site for those that so desire. When in doubt, or not sure of their intentions, we

suggest that exhibitors make sure their beef are EID’ed with the NE 840 tag, and take a DNA sample on your market beef

to be on the safe side. It is too late if you decide at County Fair that you want to go on to State. Exhibitors do have until April 15 to DNA any beef animal that may go to State Fair or Ak-Sar-Ben. Note: You will also need DNA if you plan to

go on to the American Royal in Kansas City.

Rate of Gain Requirements for Webster County Fair: Our Youth Council last year decided to discontinue

Rate of Gain requirement for beef ribbon placement at our county fair. However, we did decide to keep our ROG Contest as we have some exhibitors that use that as their main goal! That means we will continue to weigh in our calves as per

usual. What is cool is that we will provide a Champion and Reserve Champion Production Market Beef award. This

would be competitive with four items counting towards the championship. Points would be awarded for 1) Rate of Gain

2) Carcass Scan Placing 3) Live Placing and 4) Require that the exhibitor turn in a record book. Those records could be the typical 4-H Market Beef Record Book that is available from our office or an app such as: 4-H Livestock Record App

for iPad https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/4-h-livestock-record/id898568078?mt=8 or LiveStock Weights and Expenses

which can be found at: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/livestockweights/id1061212347?mt=8 I might also suggest that you go to https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.goyal.livestockweights&hl=en for the 4-H & FFA Livestock

Weights for Android, or https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.farmtracktech.farmtrack.android&hl=en for

the Farm Animal Tracker for Android.

BREEDING HEIFERS

Breeding Heifer Tattoos: Regardless if you go to the Cattlemen’s Classic or not, in preparation for county fair,

state fair and Ak-Sar-Ben please note that ALL breeding heifers need to have tattoos in their ears. Only purebred or registered heifers required this before. Now,

all commercial breeding heifers also need to sport a tattoo. This can be a herd

number or a number that corresponds with the 4-H tag - it is up to you, but it must be tattooed. If you buy a heifer from a breeder make sure it has a tattoo – even if

they say there is one there. If you raise your own it always good thing to tattoo, it is

a good management and identification tool. Purebred or percentage breed heifers

must also have a certified pedigree registration paper. The main thing if you plan to exhibit your breeding heifer at any progress show, county fair and/or Nebraska State Fair or Ak-Sar-Ben be sure you have

a legible tattoo that matches the registration paper and/or the breeding beef affidavit. NOTE – NEW THIS YEAR.

Families will be required to submit a Breeding Nomination Card for all breeding animals showing at State Fair. Breeding Nomination Cards will have a $2 nomination fee.

Home Bred and Raised Heifer Show at County Fair: Remember that affidavits for Home Bred and Raised

heifers will be due April 15, the same time as the other breeding heifer affidavits. Exhibitors must remember however

that they will need to turn in two affidavits for the heifer. One for the regular breeding heifer class and a second one specifically for the Home Bred and Raised Breeding Heifer class. It may interest our breeding beef exhibitors that we will

continue the way these exhibits were shown at the 2015 Webster County Fair. The special breeding beef jackpot class

will once again be on the same day as the beef showmanship. It will directly follow the beef showmanship event. The class will be judged as a “blow and go” class. They will be shown in their respective classes during the regular breeding

beef show.

OTHER BEEF EVENTS

Cattlemen’s Classic: The 26th Annual Nebraska Cattlemen’s Classic is fast approaching February 18-26, 2016. The

event is held at the Buffalo County Fairgrounds in Kearney, Nebraska. http://cattlemens.org Attention 4-H and FFA

Youth Exhibitors: All youth beef entries must be pre-entered before February 3. Check-in and weighing for junior exhibits will be from 8:00 am until noon on Saturday February 25. Showmanship will be on Saturday, February 25th. It

will be BLOW-N-GO, starting at 2 p.m. The age breakdown is Junior: 8-11, Intermediate: 12-15, and Senior: 16-21. The

show is in two rings and starts on Sunday, February 26 at 8:00 am. I plan to be in attendance on Saturday and Sunday, so give me a shout if you see me wandering around. Specific youth rules, regulations and information can be found on the

web at: http://cattlemens.org/youth/junior_show.html. Breeding heifers can also be shown at the Classic. They too are due

by February 3 along with registration papers. If you need further information go to the website above or email Ronette

(Bush) Heinrich at rkbush@frontiernet.net

Cattlemen’s Classic Judging Contest: Each year there is a Judging Contest as a part of Cattlemen’s Classic in Kearney. The contest is on Saturday, February 25 with registration starting at 7:00 am and the contest to begin at 8:00 am.

The contest will consist of two divisions: Senior 4-H/FFA and Junior 4-H. Senior contestants will give 3 sets of oral

reasons. Junior contestants will answer ten questions on two classes. Age will be classified by the 4-H age as of January

1st. Here is a chance to compete on the regional level with youth from all across Nebraska and several other states. This is one of the best beef judging contests you can go to and is really good practice for PASE (State 4-H Livestock Judging

Contest). There are awards and scholarships given to the top judges. You must be registered as an individual or as a team

by February 3. You can find application forms, a flyer and a lot of info including last year’s results at: www.cattlemens.org/classicjudgingcontest.html

HORSE EXHIBITORS:

Changes in State Horse Contests: The Horse Advisory Committee a couple of years ago lowered the State age

requirements for all 4-h State Horse Contest including Districts, Fonner Park State 4-H Horse Show and Stampede. Here

is how it is worded: “All District and State Horse Show participants must be 10 years of age and be under 19 years of

age by January 1st of the current calendar year. Where age groups are offered, a junior is 10 years of age and no older

than 14 years of age by January 1 of the competition year. A senior is 15 years of age by January 1 of the calendar

year and not have reached the age of 19 years on or before January 1 of the calendar year of competition. All

advancement level requirements will remain the same for District and State contests. The age requirements for “State

Horse Contests” such as Horse Bowl, Hippology, Horse Judging, Demonstrations, Public Speaking, and Art will

follow the same age groups. Senior team events are designed for youth 14 years and older. Ten to 13-year-olds may

compete at the state contest; however, the team is then ineligible for selection as a Nebraska representative to the

corresponding national event.”

4-H Horse Stampede: The 2017 4-H Horse Stampede has been scheduled for Saturday, April 1, 2017 and entries due to our office by Friday, March 10, 2017. So, mark your calendars!! For more information on

the 4-H Horse Stampede please go to http://animalscience.unl.edu/horse-4-h-and-youth#tab4 to

find a schedule, entry forms and contest rules. The following events are scheduled for 4-Hers interested in Equine projects:

Public Speaking Contest -: Public Speaking Contest topics must be related to Nebraska 4-H

Strategic Plan topics (include information related to at least one of the 5 Significant Outcomes: 4-H Strategic Plan Outcomes - - 4-H Science, Agricultural Literacy, Career

Development/College Readiness, Citizenship and Leadership, and Healthy Living.

Demonstration Contest, Art Contest, and Horse Bowl Contest (Junior and Senior Divisions)

2017 District Horse Shows: Remember that 4-H'ers must have passed Horsemanship Advancement Level II by May 12, 2017 in order to participate at a district show. District classes are held as qualifiers for corresponding classes at

the State 4-H Horse Expo. District show classes include: Hunter Under Saddle, Western Pleasure, Hunt Seat Equitation,

Western Horsemanship, Reining, Barrels, and Poles. The District Horse Show sites have been set. This year they will be held at the following locations: June 12: Dawson County Fairgrounds - Lexington, NE; June 13: Loup County

Fairgrounds, Taylor, NE; June 14: Wayne County Fairgrounds, Wayne, NE; June 19: Box Butte County Fairgrounds,

Hemingford, NE; and June 20: Lancaster Event Center - Lincoln, NE. For entry forms and more information go on the

web at: http://animalscience.unl.edu/horse-4-h-and-youth Horse ID sheets must be completed by May 12.

2017 State Horse Exposition: Good news for our county horse exhibitors. The dates for the 2016 Fonner Park - State Horse Show this year will not be on top of our County Fair. The dates for this year are July 16-20, 2017. More

information will be forthcoming as we get closer to the event. http://animalscience.unl.edu/horse-4-h-and-youth

Horse Related Web Sites: There is a web site that just came on line last year. It is called My Horse University. I

believe you will find this information interesting and that you will find this to be a very useful website. Check it out at: http://www.myhorseuniversity.com Horse exhibitors might also consider

signing up for an email service that sends out regular emails concerning horse events and

information. You can sign up for the UNL Horse Info List Serve by sending an email to:

UNLHORSEINFO@listserv.unl.edu and then simply type "Subscribe" in the subject line.

Another great web site was developed by specialists in Extension it follows: HorseQuest: Horse enthusiasts now can find a wide range of information including nutrition and care, best horses for children, riding

techniques and horse diseases at one online site. HorseQuest, found at www.extension.org/horses, is the first resource provided by eXtension (pronounced "e-extension"), a new service offered through land grant universities. It provides

reliable information to Internet visitors through several features, including frequently asked questions that have science-

based, peer-reviewed answers. Also, online lessons help users learn more about specialized areas of equine science.

HorseQuest also features experts who work one-on-one with online users through one-hour chat sessions that feature three expert specialists. Check the HorseQuest site for upcoming chat dates and topics. Another feature is "Ask an Expert,"

through which users submit questions to horse experts and receive responses via e-mail.

SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE FOR 4-H AND FFA MEMBERS

Each year our office receives information on several scholarships that are available to our county 4-H and FFA youth.

Of course we can’t list them all however we do have several of special interest to our office that we will highlight. Seniors

and even some juniors in high school should be looking at scholarships to continue their education. There are of course a

lot of local and county scholarships and in addition to these you will there are a lot of national scholarships. Don’t forget to put together a good resume – it helps! It also helps to have a good cover letter to include with your application.

The National FFA Organization: Awards approximately $2 million scholarships each year.

Scholarships are awarded to FFA members and non-members seeking a wide variety of career goals and higher education. You can find the FFA Scholarship program at: The 2016 Scholarship application will be available

online until 5:00 p.m. February 1, 2017. (Required Signature Page must be mailed postmarked no later than

February 8, 2017.) There are even scholarships available for non-FFA members. 4-H’ers should look at these.

Agricultural Scholarships: People that want to pursue a career in agriculture should know that there are many agriculture scholarships out there that can help them through college. If there is one occupation in this world that will

never go out of fashion or demand, the most certain one is agriculture. As long as people live, they will eat. As long as

they eat, there will be a demand for food grains and other agricultural products. Hence, agriculture is a fantastic career option. There are numerous agricultural companies, organizations and colleges that offer scholarships to students who

have long term career goals in agriculture.

ScholarshipQuest: I suggest those individuals looking for scholarships either in their junior or senior years go to a

web site called ScholarshipQuest! This free database contains over 2,000 Nebraska-based scholarships. You can find it on the web at: http://www.educationquest.org

Careers in Agriculture Scholarship Program: Winfield Solutions, LLC is once again providing a “Careers in

Agriculture Scholarship Program Scholarship” worth $1,000 will be awarded to 10 high school seniors and 10 first or

second-year college students who demonstrate scholastic achievement, leadership in agriculture and a perceived ability to contribute to agriculture in the future. It is available to high school graduating seniors and first or second year college

students pursuing 2 or 4-year degrees in agronomy, crop production, or closely related fields. To qualify for the program,

a student must: Be a high school senior, graduating in spring of 2017, or be a college freshman or sophomore; Demonstrate leadership abilities and academic performance; Complete an application including two character references;

and Write essays describing the importance of farmer cooperatives, and why he or she is interested in an agricultural

career. http://www.winfield.com/News/36142_1517850 For an application for the scholarship you can go to:

http://www.winfield.com/News/36142_1981135 NOTE: All applications must be postmarked by Feb. 10th, 2017

College Scholarships for Webster County 4-H Members: There are several scholarships that are available to 4-H members in Webster County. Application forms are available at http://www.webster.unl.edu or at our office.

Jim Karr Monsanto Scholarship - You may remember that Jim Karr won the $2,500 Monsanto Fund’s

America’s Farmers Grow Communities Program last winter, and has generously made that available to 4-H senior

4-H members that are enrolled in Webster County 4-H. There will be one $250 scholarship available. Please

contact our office for a scholarship form which is due April 15.

Webster County Youth Council Scholarship -- applications and guidelines were sent to the schools and are also

available in our office. Deadline for the 4-H/FFA Scholarships is April 15.

CASNR Scholarship: While we are talking about scholarships, our office has the ability to offer to any senior that

scores a 26 on their ACT an immediate $1,000 scholarship to CASNR at UNL. That has been expanded to include any 2

year school such as SCC or CCC to students who carry a 3.5 GPA. If you qualify under those guidelines, just come see me and we will get you a great scholarship.

Fontanelle Hybrids 2017 Essay Contest: As proud members of your community, Fontanelle Hybrids are excited

to give back – $1,000 at a time. They are offering fifteen, $1,000 prizes to high school seniors who are active members of 4-H, FFA or another certified agricultural organization through their 2017 Essay Contest.

www.fontanelle.com/EssayContest/

FCS Scholarships: Each year FCS offers $2,500 and $5,000 scholarships to qualified college juniors and seniors

studying agriculture or ag business at land grant universities. You can get more detailed information and specific amounts at: https://www.fcsamerica.com/products/scholarships . They also offer $1,000 annual scholarships to freshman and

sophomore students studying agriculture or ag business programs at designated colleges in area states.

Nebraska 4-H Foundation 2017 Scholarship Applications: Please go to the Nebraska State 4-H Web site for

details and applications @ http://ne4hfoundation.org/recognition/ Selection will be based on the following factors: influence of 4-H on individuals' selection of future career, 4-H background,

leadership abilities, resourcefulness, interest and desire for further education, and scholastic

achievements. Scholarship availability may change at any time without prior notice. Note: Horse

scholarship deadlines may vary. See individual descriptions on the web site. These scholarships

include: Donna Wampler Endowed Scholarship ($200-$500); Murdoch’s Ranch & Home Supply Scholarship ($1,000

each awarded to three individuals); Orschlen Industries Foundation Scholarship ($1,000 ea to four individuals); 4-H

Legacy Scholarship ($1,000 to three individuals): Rose and Guy Richard McDonald Scholarship ($2,000 each awarded to two individuals); Horse Scholarship - Grand Island Saddle Club ($1,000); and R. B. Warren 4-H Horse Educational

Scholarship ($500); New Scholarships include: Ron and Rita Horst Citizenship Scholarship: Kimberly Family

Scholarship Fund; Renee Felt Schulte Scholarship; and the Tom Holman Scholarship. Completed applications must be

received by March 1, 2017 and are to be emailed to pjeffries1@unl.edu or mail them directly to: Nebraska 4-H

Foundation, 6940 O St, Ste 210, Lincoln NE 68510. http://ne4hfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/2015-

Scholarship-Guidelines.pdf and for apps: http://ne4hfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/2015-Scholarship-Application-Form.pdf

South Central Cattlemen: SCCA will award $3,000 worth of scholarships to 2017 graduating seniors. At minimum, there will be one $1,000 and two $500 scholarships with the remaining $1,000 to be

divided at the discretion of the South Central Cattlemen’s ten-member board. Scholarships will be awarded on the merit of the applicant not on financial need. Applicant must be a resident of

Adams, Clay, Webster or Nuckolls Counties, attending school in one of those counties or be a child

of a SCC member. The applicant should be planning on pursuing a degree in Agriculture in a 2 or 4

year college, preferable in Animal Science. Deadline to submit scholarship is February 20th. For more information, contact the Webster County Extension office or your school guidance counselor. Sorghum Producers Association Annual Scholarship – The Nebraska Grain Sorghum Producers Association

announces it annual $400 scholarship to be awarded to a graduating high school senior or to a student currently enrolled in

post-high school education. To qualify, the student must plan to pursue a course of study in preparation for a career in agriculture or an ag-related field. If the applicant is currently enrolled in college, his/her studies must be ag-oriented. The

applicant’s parents or guardian must be a member of the Nebraska Grain Sorghum Producers Association. Deadline to

apply is February 1, 2017. Application forms are available by contacting via email @ sorghum.board@nebraska.gov

America's Farmers Grow Ag Leaders - Scholarship Opportunity - The Monsanto Company recently announced

the continuation of America’s Farmers Grow Ag Leaders, a $1,500 college scholarship for students pursing degrees in agriculture-related fields. http://www.americasfarmers.com/recognition-

programs/grow-ag-leaders-apply-for-a-scholarship/. The application is administered through the

National FFA Scholarship program, but students do not need to be a member of FFA to apply. The

application can be found at FFA.org/scholarships. Applicants will need to obtain the endorsement of three farmers. The endorsement period runs from November 15, 2016 – February 1, 2017. Farmers

can endorse applications at FFA.org/scholarships or by calling 1-877-267-3332.

Nebraska Association of County Extension Boards (NACEB) – The Nebraska Association of County

Extension Boards Scholarship Program for the 2017/18 academic year includes the following: One $1,000 scholarship at

the University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources (CASNR) or in the College

of Education and Human Sciences (CEHS) for an incoming student (freshmen or transfer student). One $500 scholarship

for a current student (sophomore or higher) enrolled in CASNR or CEHS. Applications are due March 17th. Contact our office or check our website for a copy of the scholarship application.

OTHER ITEMS FOR THE GOOD OF WEBSTER COUNTY 4-H & FFA

FAIR DATES: It is confirmed that the Webster County Ag Association has officially received notification on a Carnival for this year as well as the Rodeo and the dates for the 2017 Webster County Fair have been set for July 22-29

with the rodeo and Carnival on the July 27-29. We will follow the same schedule as was implemented last year with a

small change on the opening day BBQ and County Fair Church Services. We will be updating the website as we get more information – www.webstercountyfair.org

February is Nebraska 4-H Month: February has been declared as “Nebraska 4-H Month” and is held during the

entire month of February. If your club wants it help celebrate Nebraska 4-H Month you can get information from our

office or directly from the web. Let’s inform people from all over our state about 4-H and how we can Grow in 4-H!

Life Challenge and Premier Animal Science Events: The Life Challenge and PASE Contest dates are official, June 26-27 at UNL, East Campus. Please mark your calendars if you are interested in participating in either State 4-H

Contest. We are starting to take entries for team members for both the Life Challenge and PASE. For further information on these contests you can go to: http://4h.unl.edu/paselifechallenge

Governor's Agricultural Excellence Award: The Governor's Agricultural Excellence Award Applications are due the first of March. The Governor's Agricultural Excellence Awards, sponsored by the Nebraska Investment Finance

Authority (NIFA), recognize 4-H clubs for the work of the individuals in the club and the community service work of the entire club. Recognition is in the form of $500 checks issued to the club's treasury

to be used as described in the award application form completed by the club.

Each county may submit up to 10 applications to the district office, we would love to have even

just one applicant. Applications are available online on the 4-H website at: http://www.ne4hfoundation.org/agexcellenceaward.htm Clubs must e-mail their application with

Governor’s Ag Excellence Award applications to Lori Oberembt at the Nebraska 4-H Foundation Office by March 4th,

2016 at lori.oberembt@unl.edu Clubs will be notified by May 16, 2017. The Governor's Agriculture Excellence Awards are usually presented by the Governor and NIFA officials during the evening picnic of the PASE/Life Challenge Event.

Companion Animal Challenge: The second 4-H Companion Animal Challenge will be held on April 1, 2017 at

the Animal Science Complex on UNL’s East Campus. It provides youth a chance to participate in a variety of contests

that do not require animals, but allow youth to learn more about their dog or other companion animals. Entries are due by March 10. The youth who participated in the event last year said that it was fun and they learned a lot. Youth do not need

to be experts to participate in the event. More information available at: http://go.unl.edu/4hcac or please contact Lisa

Karr-Lilienthal via email at lkarr-lilienthal2@unl.edu if you have questions.

Contests include: •Demonstrations (a presentation where youth demonstrate how to complete a task or related to the care of their

companion animal)

•Photography and art contests (open to all companion animal projects)

•Dog Skill-a-thon •Dog quiz bowl

Blow & Show for all Beef Shows at Webster County? - Last year the State Fair Board made the decision to go Blow & Show, or as some call it “Blow and Go”, for all 4-H and FFA live cattle and showmanship events. In Webster

County we have conducted a Blow and Show rule for Beef Showmanship Classes only and have allowed exhibitors to fit

their livestock for the live beef show, both market and breeding. Our question to our Webster County 4-H and FFA

Families is: Do you wish to go to a Blow and Go for all our beef show to be in alignment with the Nebraska State

Fair? We would like to hear from our families if you wish this rule to remain as it is or change to Blow and Show for the

entire fair? We will then take the results to the Webster County Youth Council and they will decide how we will proceed.

I have put the new ruling for Nebraska State Fair below. Please let our office know your choice?

“Grooming of Livestock - Beef Shows including Showmanship, Market Beef and Breeding Beef will be Blow and Go. Animals may be clipped, blown, brushed or combed to enhance their appearance. Guidelines for the Blow & Go show: 1.

All animals will be shown free of any adhesive, glue, paint, or powder products. 2. Any compounds that have adhesive

qualities that when applied cannot be combed or brushed through, or alter the color of the animal are forbidden. These

products include, but are not limited to commonly used adhesives and colorants such as Prime Time, EZ Comb, Tail Adhesive, Natural Hold, Ultra White Touch-Up, Black Touch Up, Black Finisher, black show foam, and baby powder. 3.

Alcohol, water, oil, foam or any water or alcohol-based products with no adhesives or glue qualities, or artificial

colorings are permitted. These products include conditioners and commonly used sprays such as Kleen Sheen, Revive, Final Bloom, Pink Oil, white show foam, Freshen Up, Silk, and Sudden Impact. 4. Any animal found to have prohibited

products applied (adhesive, glue, paint, or powder products) will be disqualified from competition. Any premiums

(physical or monetary) will be forfeited and no refunds will be made. All beef will be subject to visual inspection and toweling (before and/or after entering the show ring) using a disposable blue shop towel for the presence of adhesive,

glue, paint, or powder products. Toweling of the animal may include, but is not limited to, the topline, legs, chest, belly,

flank, and cod/udder areas. If, after inspection, the animal is found to have adhesive, glue, paint, or powder products

applied it will be disqualified from competition. Any premiums (physical or monetary) will be forfeited and no refunds will be made.”

Upcoming Activities: I have attached a calendar of activities at the end of this newsletter that I have put together so

far for January and February. Of course there will be a lot more as the Winter Programming begins. We will try to update

this as things come in. If any of you know of progress shows or other events that would benefit our 4-H and FFA Families please let me know and I will add them. That is about all that I have for this month. Now let’s see what Carol and Liz

have for you!

Project Changes/Additions

Aerospace: The report must now include-1) rocket specification, 2) a flight record for each launching (weather,

distance, flight height), 3) number of launchings, 4) flight pictures, 5) statistics, 6) objectives learned and, 7) conclusions.

The report will also be a part of the judging.

Computer Application: The 4-H’er may create any of the following: greeting cards (5 different cards); 3 business

cards for 3 different individuals; menu; book layout; 3 promotional flyers promoting 3 different events; newsletter or

other.

3D Printing Unique Items: 3D printing uses plastic or other materials to build a 3 dimensional object from a

digital design. Youth may use original designs or someone else’s they have re-designed in a unique way. Exhibits will be

judged based on the complexity of the design and shape. 3D objects printed as part of the design process for robot or

other engineering project or cookie cutter, be creative.3D printing will include a notebook with the following: a. software used to create 3D design, b. design or, if using a re-design, the original design and the youth’s design with changes, c.

orientation on how the object was printed.

Agriculture Precision Mapping “NEW”-4-Hers will assemble a notebook that will include a minimum of 2

digital copies of various data layers that can be used in precision agriculture to identify spatial patterns and/or correlations (printed copies of websites where applications can be purchased is acceptable). A report of how the analysis of the various

data will be used to make a management decision.

Welding furniture “NEW” – any furniture with 75% welding is used in the construction. 60% of item must be

completed by 4-Her and notes regarding laser welding or machine welding must be included. All plans, plan alterations,

dimensions and a bill for materials must be attached to the article.

Communications, Module 2 – Use one or a combination of the experimental activities in the Communications,

Module 2 curriculum to create an educational poster or essay sharing with others what you have learned. Topics may include, but are not limited to: Identifying cultural differences in communication, developing guidelines for internet

etiquette, evaluating another person’s presentation, identifying communication careers, preparing a presentation using a

form of technology.

Communications, Module 3 - Use one or a combination of the experimental activities in the Communications,

Module 3 curriculum to create an educational poster or essay sharing with others what you have learned. Topics may

include, but are not limited to: Composing a personal resume, Completing research on a speech or presentation topic,

Identifying ways to reduce risks online, Evaluating own cell phone usage and etiquette, Critiquing advertisements, Job shadowing a communication professional.

Photography Unit II-Manual Setting Exhibit Print – Entry will consist of a print that showcases the

participant’s ability to maser the manual settings on the camera. 1) Manual Focus, 2) Manual Aperture, 3) Manual Shutter Speed, 4) Combination of any of the listed techniques, 5) Other techniques, 5) Other technique not listed.

Photography Unit II-Smart Phone Candid Capture Display or Exhibit Print – Entry will consist of a

display of 3 pictures of 3 different candid shots or an exhibit print that captures a candid, un-posed moment. *This class

is only for photos captured on mobile device (phone or tablet).

Photography Unit II & III-Nebraska Exhibit Print – Reflect your definition of rural Nebraska. Capture rural

living in your Nebraska county through your camera lens. Use your photo to express what rural means to you, why you

value rural life or how rural life is changing. This is your story to tell.

Photography Unit III-Breaking the Rules – Entry will consist of a print that presents a unique focal point and

uses different viewpoint, lines, shapes and spacing to create a compelling image.

Sketchbook Crossroads – An art exhibit using one of the techniques in the above classes to show how art can

define a sense of place, or life in Nebraska. For example-a pencil or ink drawing depicting life in Nebraska, using natural

resources such as native grasses to make a weaving, using natural fibers for felting, or using roots, nuts, plants or flowers to dye fabric. Include the required information listed above and how this project represents life in Nebraska.

Portfolio Pathways – An art exhibit using one of the techniques in the above classes to show how art can define a

sense of place, or life in Nebraska. For example – solar printing; making prints using shed snakeskin or plant; an acrylic,

oil; watercolor painting of scenes of your community or the surrounding area; or using objects from nature to make the painting. Include the required information listed above and how this project represents Nebraska life.

Shopping In Style – Best Buy for Your Buck – now has two age divisions 10-13 before January 1 of the current

year and 14-18 before January 1 of the current year.

***************************************************************************** Sixth Annual Innovative Youth Corn Challenge - Do you enjoy being outside? Learning new things about crops?

Considering a career involving crops, insects, diseases, soils, water or more? Do you want to

help figure out how to feed our world’s growing population in a sustainable way?

Nebraska Extension and the Nebraska Corn Board are offering the sixth Innovative Youth Corn Challenge contest. This contest, open to 4-H members (age 10 & older as of Jan. 1st) or FFA

members (in-school members), guides participants through all aspects of corn production, as

well as agricultural careers related to corn production.

As a team (2 or more participants), youth will be challenged to implement a production practice

different than normal to determine if they increased their yield. Economics and sustainability of the practice will also be considered. Yields, cropping history, and production information will be collected in the Corn

Yield Challenge management summary.

Cash prizes and plaques will be given to the first, second, and third place teams. First place will receive $1,000, second

place will receive $500, and third place will receive $250. Sustainability, crop scouting and “extra mile” awards will also be given, each worth $150. To participate in 2017, youth must complete and return an entry form by March 15th to the

Fillmore County Extension Office in Geneva, NE. Forms can be downloaded after January 1st at

http://cropwatch.unl.edu/cropwatch-youth

UPCOMING COMMUNITY, 4-H & EXTENSION EVENTS 2017:

Jan. 1: Happy New Year Jan. 2: Webster County Courthouse Closed

Jan. 9: Blue Hill Extension After School Program, Blue Hill Library, 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm (Kitchen Chemistry), ckumke2@unl.edu

Jan. 9-24: National Western Livestock Show, Denver, NE http://nationalwestern.com/livestock-shows/

Jan. 10: West Central Cattlemen Beef Management Day, 9:45 am, Franklin County Fairgrounds, Franklin, NE 308-425-6277

Jan. 11: Crop Production Clinic, Adams County Fairgrounds in Hastings, http://agronomy.unl.edu/cpc

Jan. 11: So Central Cattlemen Annual Meeting, Social 6 pm, Meal 7 pm, Fairfield Opera House, Fairfield, NE

Jan. 12: Webster County Ag Association Mtg at Webster County Fairgrounds, 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 12: Three State Beef Conference, 5:30 pm, $25 Reg. Gage County Extension Office, Beatrice, NE Paul Hay 402-223-1384.

Jan. 16: Martin Luther King Day, Webster County Courthouse Closed

Jan. 18: LBNRD Operator Mgmt Training, 9 a.m., Adams County Fairgrounds, Hastings, 402-364-2145

Jan. 19: Adam/Webster Corn Growers Annual Meeting, Southern Hills Country Club, Hastings, NE 308-830-0546 Jan. 19-20: NEW 2-day Crop Production Clinic, Younes Convention Center in Kearney, http://agronomy.unl.edu/cpc

Jan. 20-21: No-Till on the Plains Holistic Management-Financial Management, $100 Reg. Hastings, NE bob.shields01@gmail.com

Jan. 22: Webster County Market Beef Weigh-in, 1:00-4:00 pm. Blue Hill Sale Barn, Blue Hill, NE dlienemann2@unl.edu

Jan. 23: Silver Lake After School Program, Fairgrounds, 4-5:00 pm, Bladen, NE (Kitchen Chemistry), ckumke2@unl.edu

Jan. 24: Webster Co Private Applicator Pesticide Training, Museum Exhibit Hall, Red Cloud, NE 1:30 pm ron.seymour@unl.edu

Jan. 25: Kearney Co. Private Applicator Pesticide Training, 1:30 pm, Kearney Co Fairgrounds, Minden, NE

Jan. 25: NE Grain Sorghum Symposium, W. Central District Ext, State Farm Rd, North Platte, NE sorghum.board@nebraska.gov

Jan. 26: Nebraska Grain Sorghum Symposium, Hotel Grand Conference Center, Grand Island, NE sorghum.board@nebraska.gov

Jan. 28: So Central Cattlemen Bulls on Main Street (Bull Bonanza), 10:30 am-3:30 pm, Lawrence, NE M. Caldwell 402-469-1190

Jan. 30: Red Cloud After School Program, Auld Library, 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm (Kitchen Chemistry), ckumke2@unl.edu

Jan. 31: Farmers/Ranchers Cow-Calf College, 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m., USMARC near Clay Center, RSVP (402) 759-3712

Jan. 31: Holdrege Water Conference, 10:00 am, Phelps Co. Fairgrounds, Holdrege, NE RSVP 308-995-4444. Feb. 1: Adams County Private Applicator Pesticide Training, 9:00 am, Adams Co. Fairgrounds, Hastings, NE

Feb. 1: Adams County Private Applicator Pesticide Training1:30 pm, Senior Center, Kenesaw, NE

Feb. 1-2: Nebraska Ag Technologies Association (NeATA), Nebraska Innovation Campus, Lincoln, NE

Feb. 6: Blue Hill After School Program, Blue Hill Library, 4:00 pm to 5:00 pm (Drone/Rocketry), ckumke2@unl.edu

Feb. 7: Lemke Cattle Production Sale, Lemke Ranch, 1757 Road 2500, Lawrence, NE http://lemkecattle.com/

Feb. 7: Franklin Co Private Applicator Pesticide Training, 9:00 am, Franklin Co. Fairgrounds, Franklin, NE

Feb. 7: Kearney Co. Private Applicator Pesticide Training, 2:00 pm, Kearney Co Fairgrounds, Minden, NE

Feb. 8: Webster County Youth Foundation Meeting, Webster County Fairgrounds, 7:00 p.m.

Feb. 8: Beef Feedlot Roundtable, TBA Lexington, NE mluebbe2@unl.edu

Feb. 9: Webster County Ag Association Meeting at Webster County Fairgrounds, 7:30 pm

Feb. 9: Webster Co Private Applicator Pesticide Training, Blue Hill Community Center, Blue Hill, 6:30 pm ron.seymour@unl.edu Feb. 11: So Central Cattlemen’s Valentine’s Banquet, 5:00 pm, Lockland Country Club, Hastings, NE RSVP J. Watts 402-984-3588

Feb. 14: Webster Co Private Applicator Pesticide Training, Dick’s Place, Lawrence, NE 1:30 pm ron.seymour@unl.edu

Feb. 18-26: NE Cattlemen’s Classic, http://cattlemens.org Buffalo Co Fairgrounds, Kearney, NE rkbush@frontiernet.net

Feb. 20: President’s Day, Webster County Courthouse Closed

Feb. 25-26: Nebraska Cattlemen’s Classic Youth Livestock Judging and Beef Shows, Buffalo Co. Fairgrounds, Kearney

Feb. 21: Webster Co Private Applicator Pesticide Training, Webster County Fairgrounds, Bladen, NE 9:00 am ron.seymour@unl.edu

Feb. 21: Chemigation Training Workshop, 2:00 p.m., Franklin Co. Fairgrounds, Franklin, NE ron.seymour@unl.edu

Feb. 22: Farmers/Ranchers College: Managing for Difficult Times, 9:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m., Fairgrounds in Geneva, 402-759-3712

Feb. 22: TC Ranch Angus Production Sale, Franklin, NE http://www.tcranch.com/ TC Ranch - Dru Uden 308-470-0740

Feb. 23: Field to Market Workshops, 9-12 am, Hall Co Extension Office, Grand Island NE jhay2@unl.edu 402-472-0408

Feb. 23: Field to Market Workshops, 3-6 pm, Phelps Co Ag Center, Holdrege, NE jhay2@unl.edu 402-472-0408

Feb. 23-24: Women in Agriculture Conference, Holiday Inn Kearney, http://wia.unl.edu Feb. 24: Field to Market Workshops, 9-12 am, WCREC, North Platte, NE jhay2@unl.edu 402-472-0408

Feb. 27: Nebraska On-Farm Research Update, Hall Co. Extension Office, Grand Island, http://cropwatch.unl.edu/farmresearch

Feb. 27: Farmers/Ranchers College: Tips and Tricks for Women in Ag, 6:00 p.m., Lazy Horse Winery, Ohiowa, NE 402-759-3712

Feb. 28: Beef Profitability Meeting, 10am, Fairgrounds, Osceola, NE

http://extension.unl.edu/statewide/webster/4h/

Be Sure to Sign Up For

One of Our

After School Programs!

Late Beef

Weigh-In

Sunday,

January 22

1:00-4:00

Don’t Forget To

Vote for New

Youth Council

Member!