An updated 4-H Dairy Managerial Project Agreement form for the 2003 Wisconsin Junior State Fair is now available. The form spells out the responsibilities of those involved in the lease and manages the liability issues related to the agreement.

Dairy managerial or lease arrangements allow farm and non-farm youth access to dairy animals from cooperator dairy herds.

In 2003, the Wisconsin Junior State Fair will require counties to have their managerial animals identified by June 1 for these cattle to be eligible to exhibit at the fair. The updated form will help counties and individual 4-H members meet this requirement. Some significant changes in this year”s agreement rules include:

An agreement is not required when the managerial animal is owned by the junior member”s immediate family (brother, sister, parent or family farm). For all other leased animals a form must be completed.

Managerial animals need to be identified with the county agent by June 1. The county Extension office will file a copy of the agreement by June 7 with the Wisconsin State Fair Agriculture Department, P.O. Box 14990, West Allis, WI 53214. Managerial identification forms need not accompany the animal to the fair but MUST be kept at the county 4-H office until 30 days after the fair.

Multiple animals from an owner can be identified on page 2 of the new form.

Counties wishing to implement a similar program for their local shows may also use the form to identify both registered and grade managerial animals at the county level.

The dairy managerial project has several objectives. One is to develop character, knowledge and a sense of responsibility in 4-H participants. Another goal is to maintain or increase the number of youth and dairy animals in the 4-H dairy project. Furthermore, the program is intended to provide the opportunity to work with registered dairy cattle, for both non-farm youth and youth from farms with non-registered cattle.

According to Ted Halbach, UW-Madison Extension dairy youth specialist, the program provides non-farm youth interested in animals an alternative to domestic animal or non-animal projects. Not only does the managerial project teach youth about the responsibility and care involved in working with dairy animals, but also about the hard work and subtle rewards encountered in dairy farming.

“If Wisconsin is going to stay a leader in the dairy industry we need to maintain the critical mass of our dairy youth program,” says Halbach. “Youth programs are the dairy industry”s investment in tomorrow. Some youth participating in the dairy managerial program may never be closely involved in dairy farming in their future careers, but they will become more aware of the industry and supporters of dairy farming and animal agriculture.”

The updated 4-H Dairy Managerial Project Agreement form is available at all Wisconsin county UW-Extension offices or here .