The Missouri Dairy Association (MDA) is pleased to announce that the 20th Annual Supreme Junior Dairy Champion Award is now available at all local Missouri fairs with dairy cow competition.
The award is for the supreme dairy cow (appearance) shown by junior in 4-H or FFA. The MDA board highly desires 4-H or FFA participants. There is one award per fair and no one individual can win more than once in the same year. There are no district fair winners unless the winner has not previously won at a local fair.
Previous year’s winners are eligible to win again. The Supreme Junior Dairy Champion Award consists of a certificate and a $25 cash award from MDA with statewide recognition in the Missouri Dairy Update newsletter.
“Over 690 youth have won this award since its inception 19 years ago,” says Lloyd Gunter, MDA president from Conway and an active dairy farmer. “We continue to receive great comments from the youth and their families for our support and we appreciate it, but our main goal is to encourage our youth to participate and show at Missouri’s fine local fairs.
“The MDA board, made up of 11 dairy farmers, feels very strongly about the purpose of the award and we hope Missouri’s dairy youth will also show at the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia,” says Gunter.
“The enthusiasm and pride of our dairy youth in taking proper care of their animals and displaying their showmanship needs to be recognized by everybody in the State so these youth are encouraged to continue their involvement in the dairy industry by returning to the family farm. Missouri is a milk deficit state which presents an opportunity for new producers and the expansion of existing dairy operations in the State.
“Good luck to all participants in this year’s fair competition across the state,” says Gunter. “Questions or comments can be directed to the MDA office at 636/519-9300 or dairystl@aol.com.”
