Engaging youth in agriculture is critical to ensuring that we have educated future leaders in the agricultural industry.  Livestock production, animal sciences, agricultural education and career pathways in agriculture are important building blocks for young people.  The 4-H youth Development Agents partnered with the Ag & Natural Resources Agent to plan a Youth Stock Tour across seven states over Spring Break.  Youth Stock Tour provided 4-Hers the opportunity to visit farms and ranches in various locations and to learn how livestock production is both similar and different due to geography, climate, available forages and other factors.  Youth were also able to visit college campuses and learn about career opportunities in agriculture.

Shelby County Extension Agents coordinated transportation, lodging, host sites, budgets and all required documents to travel.  Youth and adults from Scott and Henry Counties were also invited to attend.  Youth from these counties are tough competitors in Livestock Skillathon and Quiz Bowl competitions, but this was an opportunity to interact and build relationships in a noncompetitive environment.

Forty-six adults and youth traveled to 16 locations, including 

1. Indiana Beef Evaluation Program in Bedford, IN. Home to two annual bull testing and evaluation programs.    
2. Austin Farms, Mt. Vernon, IL to learn about showing and judging livestock and how the connections young people can make in the livestock industry will benefit them throughout their lives.
3. Salmon Ranch in Appleton City, MO, discussing intensive regenerative grazing and forage management of beef cattle and sheep.
4. Circle M Farms, Mt. Vernon, MO, purebred beef cattle operation and show facilities.
5. Journagan Ranch at Missouri State University in Mountain Grove, MO, a 6,000 acre ranch, home to the oldest purebred Hereford herd in Missouri discussing breeding and management practices.
6. Grand Falls, the largest continually flowing natural waterfall in Missouri.  
7. Joplin Stockyards, the largest stockyards in the United States with nearly 10 acres under roof and selling nearly a half million head annually.  
8. Dream Catcher Cattle Ranch in Haskell, OK, home to a wide array of livestock including yaks, a camel, llamas, Scottish Highland cattle, deer, sheep, kangaroos, water buffalo and commercial cattle.   
9. Walking tour of the Oklahoma State University campus.
10. Totusek Arena and Oklahoma State University farm units including Cline Equine Center, Ferguson Family Dairy, Willard Sparks Feedlot and the Purebred Beef Center to learn about the opportunities for students who attend OSU to live and work on the farms as well as utilize the livestock and facilities for classroom learning.  
11. Howard Sheep and Cattle, Mulhall, OK, 600 mama cows, 500 ewes and 500 mama does on 6,000 acres with minimal inputs.  
12. Oklahoma City’s Stockyards District to tour Shorty’s Caboy Hattery, Boxcar Woody’s, Stockyards Sarsaparilla and National Saddlery.   
13. Yukon Oklahoma’s High School’s farm and livestock facility to see how a school-owned farm allows students without access to land and facilities to experience livestock production and showing.  
14. Express Ranch, Yukon, OK, comprehensive tour of the purebred Angus and Hereford show/sale cattle and donor facilities and Express Clydesdales facility 
15. Xcel Feedyard, Watonga, OK, capacity of 30,000 head, nutrition and feeding program, technology involved with customizing rations to match the age, size and development of each pen of cattle.
16. GKB Cattle in Desdemona, TX, extensive tour of the purebred marketing facility, equipment shed, bull and female development areas and Brangus show barn including a heifer calf, cloned from one of the farm’s top donor cows.
17. Fort Worth, TX, historic cattle drive through the streets of Fort Worth and all that the stockyards history entails.

In all, 32 youth and 14 adults traveled more than 2,600 miles through 7 states and visited 16 locations learning about agriculture and livestock production.  An evaluation at the conclusion of the tour revealed that all the youth had a better understanding of production practice such as intensive grazing, bull testing, feedlots, reproduction practices, and genetics.  Ninety seven percent of the youth indicated that they learned something that they intend to incorporate into their own farm or with their livestock.   One hundred percent of the youth learned more about agricultural majors and careers in agriculture and seventy-percent plan to attend college and pursue a degree in agriculture. 

Quotes from youth participants:

My favorite thing about attending this trip was seeing agriculture through a different lens and making industry connections with top tier livestock professionals. Also, getting to share this experience with other passionate livestock individuals.

The most valuable thing I learned from this tour was that you can start your operation small and grow from there and that all things other producers do that make their operation more efficient may not be what works for my operation.

I learned that every operation has a different story and that we can create our own with hard work, an education, mentors, and the valuable experiences we have had.

I learned that agriculture is different in different states but I can appreciate those differences. Connections are valuable.