The USPOULTRY Foundation continues a long-standing commitment of supporting programs for students interested in becoming part of the poultry and egg industry. Providing today’s youth with the skills and knowledge necessary to excel has been the goal of USPOULTRY Foundation’s sponsored programs, such as 4-H, FFA, collegiate poultry judging competitions and the College Student Career Program. The 4-H youth recruiting activity is made possible by a gift from Amick Farms.
At the 2014 National 4-H Poultry & Egg Conference held at the Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center in Louisville, Barbara Jenkins, vice president of education and student programs, USPOULTRY, presented awards in five separate competitive events that included poultry judging, chicken barbecuing, turkey barbecuing, an egg preparation demonstration and an avian bowl (poultry and egg trivia). The Conference hosted 157 senior 4-H members representing 22 states, allowing them to compete in educational events that help them learn to formulate and defend decisions, speak publicly and expand their poultry-related skills. Noah Lawrence, Ray Martin, Natalie Panagakos and Drew Ridgeway, from Maryland, were named top team overall winners. Ben Hancock, from Georgia, was named the top overall individual winner.
"The USPOULTRY Foundation has been a proud sponsor of 4-H for several years. We realize that these youth are the future of our industry, and our objective is to inspire these students to pursue a career in the poultry and egg industry," remarked Jenkins.
A Poultry Careers Workshop was also held at the Conference, which gave the 4-H students hands-on information from poultry food industry personnel and relevant information about career and educational opportunities in the poultry industry.
