2022 YQCA Certification Requirement for DSF Market Animal Exhibitors-
All Delaware State Fair junior exhibitors showing a market animal (steer, market lamb, market goat or market hog) are required to have a current quality assurance certification in order to exhibit in a market class at the Delaware State Fair. The Youth PQA program no longer exists to train new youth or recertify. The YQCA program is a national certification that now covers all livestock species with a single certification for all youth ages 8-21 nationwide. Program ages are calculated as of January 1 of the current year. Options for obtaining a qualifying quality assurance certification to be able to show a market animal at the 2022 DSF are:
- Ages 5-7– A parent, guardian or responsible adult must have a current quality assurance certification. Options to fulfill this requirement include PQA(Pork Quality Assurance) or BQA (Beef Quality Assurance https://www.bqa.org/certification/online-certification) adult online trainings or parents can either attend a YQCA classroom training session(email Susan directly to register) with their 5-7 year old to obtain a valid QA certification to meet the DSF requirement. Please contact Susan Garey if you would like to be granted access to the online Adult PQA certification training to cover youth ages 5-7. An email address is required.
- Ages 8-18– The youth market exhibitor must have a current YQCA certification obtained either through an YQCA classroom training session or YQCA online.
- Ages 19-21– The youth market exhibitor must have a current YQCA certification that can only be obtained online as per the YQCA program rules.
Youth YQCA certification is valid for one year.
In order for youth ages 8-21 to participate in either an online or in person classroom YQCA training session, they must register and create a profile at http://yqcaprogram.org Please note the new website address for 2022. For youth age 8-12, parents are required to register their youth on the YQCA website. Once registered, select the appropriate class you plan to attend. Fees will be charged at the time of registration and can be paid by credit card.
The YQCA classroom training costs $3.00 and the online training costs $12.00. These fees are paid online and go directly to YQCA even if you are attending an in person training. This should be completed prior to coming to the in person training. Youth completing the online YQCA training will take the online module that corresponds to their age as of January 1 of the current year.
The following YQCA in person class training dates have been scheduled for this spring:
- Wednesday, May 11, 2022- New Castle County Extension Office, Newark 6:30-8:30 pm- registration required in advance-must register by May 9
- Thursday, May 26, 2022- UD Carvel Center, Georgetown 6:30-8:30 pm- registration required in advance- must register by May 24
- Tuesday, June 7, 2022- Kent County Extension Office, Dover 6:30-8:30 pm- registration required in advance- must register by June 6
Additional date(s) may be added as interest warrants. If you plan on attending any of these sessions, you must register in advance so that we can ensure enough space and training materials. Please contact Susan Garey truehart@udel.edu or (302)242-1510 if you have any questions or concerns in regards to Quality Assurance/YQCA certification needs.
2022 Delaware State Fair Livestock Tagging Dates-
For all market lambs, market goats, market hogs, steers and feeder calves:
Saturday, May 7—Cook Farm, Newark- 8am to 11am
Sunday, May 15—Fairgrounds—8am to 11am *please note this is Sunday and not Saturday. The fair grounds has an event on Saturday that will not permit us to hold tagging
Tuesday, May 24—Fairgrounds—5pm to 8pm Final Tagging Date for the 2022 DSF
Minimum weights for market hogs to be tagged will apply again this year, the same as in 2019. If your pig does not weigh the minimum weight for that tagging day, it will not be tagged. Minimum weights are 50 lbs on 5/7/2022, 60 lbs on 5/15/2022 and 70 lbs on 5/24/2022. The Delaware Farm Bureau Rate of Gain Contest will resume this year and in order to be eligible for awards, members must tag at the locations for their county. For New Castle County this is the May 7th Cook Farm date, for Kent and Sussex these are the state fair location tagging dates.
Virtual State 4-H Horse Bowl- Entries Due April 8th
This year’s State 4-H Horse Bowl is an online competition conducted between April 15-24, 2022. Preregistration is required in order to participate. Registration is open March 21- April 8, 2022. To register go to: https://www.pcsreg.com/2022-virtual-delaware-4-h-horse-bowl-contest If you have special needs that need to be accommodated, please contact the office two weeks prior to the event so that we can make alternate arrangements. For more information please visit: https://www.udel.edu/content/dam/udelImages/canr/pdfs/extension/4H/2022_HORSE_BOWL_CONTEST_-_Susan_Garey.pdf
Delaware 4-H Equine Art- Entries Due May 9th
Calling all young artists! With categories encompassing painting, pastels, charcoals, photography, pencil, pen and ink and even crayons and markers for younger youth there is something for everyone in the Delaware 4-H Equine Art Contest. Entries are due to county offices on or before May 9, 2022. Entries will be put on display by May 16th at Chick’s retail store in Harrington, Delaware. A maximum of 2 entries per individual per class will be accepted. Contest guidelines and entry information is posted on the State 4-H website.
Final Delaware Junior Dairy Futurity Payment Due May 2
The third payment for futurity animals entered for the 2022 Delaware Junior Dairy Futurity is due May 2 to volunteer Charmayne Busker. Calves MUST be exhibited by a Delaware State Fair Junior Dairy Exhibitor. Leased animals are eligible and an exhibitor must be named on the last entry on May 2, 2022. For more information please consult the 2022 entry form posted on the State 4-H animal science page at https://www.udel.edu/academics/colleges/canr/cooperative-extension/personal-economic-development/4H-youth-development/project-information/animal-science/ or email Charmayne Busker cpbusker@gmail.com
Dairy Leasing Agreements Due to County Offices May 2
2022 Delaware Youth Dairy Leasing Agreements must be turned in to county offices for county agent signatures or to Susan Garey by May 1. Copies of dairy leases will be forwarded on to the Delaware State Fair. The leasing agreement is posted on the state 4-H webpage under the “Dairy” heading. https://www.udel.edu/content/dam/udelImages/canr/pdfs/extension/4H/animal-science/Delaware_Youth_Dairy_Leasing_Agreement_-_Susan_Garey.doc.pdf This is the only version of a leasing agreement that is accepted for Delaware shows.
National 4-H Dairy Conference Application Due- May 2
The 2022 National 4-H Dairy Conference is October 2-6, 2022 in Madison, Wisconsin. The conference is for 15 to 18 year-olds who have participated in the 4-H Dairy Program for at least three years, who are currently enrolled in 4-H and have an interest in the dairy industry. The application can be found here and and an interview may be required https://www.udel.edu/content/dam/udelImages/canr/pdfs/extension/4H/event-info/2022-National-4-H-Dairy-Conference-Fillable-Application.pdf.
Delmarva Chicken Association Scholarships- Due April 8thUndergraduate scholarships of $2,000 are available to residents of the Delmarva Peninsula who are undergraduate students at any
accredited, degree-granting institution, with an academic major in a subject relevant to Delmarva’s chicken community and who are pursuing a career path leading to employment in any segment of Delmarva’s chicken community. The program also is open to high school seniors on the Delmarva Peninsula who have been accepted at any accredited, degree-granting institution and who are pursuing a career path leading to employment in any segment of Delmarva’s chicken community. Previous recipients, if still eligible, may reapply. Applications will be evaluated by a committee of DCA representatives using the following 100-point rubric: Scholastic Record (20 points), Answers to Questions (40 points), School/Community Activities & Awards (20 points), Financial Need (5 points), Faculty Reference (15 points). Complete applications for these scholarships must be received at the address below no later than 4:30 p.m. on Friday, April 8, 2022. Late applications, incomplete applications, and handwritten applications will not be considered. For more information https://www.dcachicken.com/scholarship/
2022 Delaware 4-H Avian Bowl Study Sections-
The Avian Bowl is a knowledge based quiz bowl style competition that focuses on poultry and eggs and poultry industry topics. The 2022 Delaware 4-H Avian Bowl will be Saturday July 30th at 1:00 pm in the Centre. All questions and answers will come from the following material in the 2016 version of the Avian Bowl Manual:
Study Sections:
- Poultry judging – Online National Poultry Judging Manual (Past production hens printable pdf, pages 1-2 only)
- Understanding food prisoners (All)- pages 17-20
- Avian systems (Reproduction only)- pages 35-38
- Breeds, varieties, and strains (Mediterranean through AOSB only)- pages 75-80
- Raising game birds (Disease control through Laws only)- pages 94-99
- Eggcyclopedia (Partnership for food safety through Zeaxanthin only)- pages 139- 151B
- Raising your home chicken flock (All)- pages 151C-161
- Biosecurity (All)- pages 179-180
- Avian influenza (All) – Pages 181-182
Note: The above study material came from the National 4-H Avian Bowl Manual revised in 2016.
For more information on the Avian Bowl please consult the contest rules and guidelines which can be found on the State 4-H Events webpage: https://www.udel.edu/content/dam/udelImages/canr/pdfs/extension/4H/Delaware_4-H_Avian_Bowl_Rules_and_Guidelines_2022_-_Susan_Garey.pdf
County 4-H Livestock Judging Qualifier- June 3rd
A county livestock judging qualifier will be held on Friday, June 3rd beginning at 6:30 pm at the Delaware State Fair in the Kent Building. Any 4-H members wishing to judge in the 4-H Livestock Judging contest at the 2022 Delaware State Fair must participate in the county qualifier. Participants should dress appropriately, wear close toed shoes and bring a pencil, blank paper and a clipboard. More information will be available in May.