Future of Ag News

Sheep starter flock opportunity offered to youth

North Dakota State University-Extension and the North Dakota Lamb and Wool Producers Association are now offering North Dakota youth an opportunity to become involved in the sheep industry and build their own flock. Youth chosen for the Starter Flock Discounted Loan Program will receive an interest-free loan to purchase 10 yearling Rambouillet ewes from the association. The association will buy the ewes from North Dakota State University’s Hettinger Research Extension Center. Youth receiving the ewes will be assigned a mentor, who will be available to answer questions and help them with recordkeeping and setting management goals. The youth also have the option of arranging for a mentor on their own. The youth must pay back 70 percent of the value of the ewes. The first payment is due by Nov. 1 of the second year the youth have the ewes. The youth have two more years to pay off the balance of the loan. To be eligible to receive ewes, youth must be 10 to 18 years old by Aug. 1 of the year they apply for a loan. Applications are due by Aug. 1. Visit ndsheep.org/starter-flock/ for more information. 

Essay contest winners selected

Annabelle Winkers, a fourth-grade student from Fennimore, and Adalyn Howe, a fifth-grade student from Lodi, were recently selected as state winners in the Wisconsin Agriculture in the Classroom essay contest. Wisconsin fourth and fifth graders were asked to write an essay with the theme, “A Wisconsin Tree and Me: How Trees Grow Food and Fiber.”

Winkers is the winner of the fourth-grade contest. Her teacher is Emily Kamps at Fennimore Elementary School in Grant County. Howe is the winner of the fifth-grade contest. She submitted her essay independently with the help of her family. Howe is a student at Lodi Elementary School in Columbia County.

Each year the Wisconsin Farm Bureau’s Agriculture in the Classroom program hosts an essay contest to engage students in writing, reading and research through the context of food and agriculture. Essays were judged on content, grade-appropriate writing benchmarks and creativity. This contest is open to all fourth and fifth grade students across the state.  Essay entries were judged at the county, district and state levels with stiff competition in each grade division. Nine district winners were named state finalists and received a prize package including a medal and custom backpack. The state winner also received a plaque and prizes valued at more than $250. Visit wisagclassroom.org for more information.