2025 Agricultural Judging Contests
Not only is the weather finally cooling down, but it is also fair season! Fairs aren’t just about rides and food but also about participating in showing livestock, entering exhibits, and competing in judging contests. There are so many opportunities at fairs for 4-H youth to participate in and gain knowledge from. Agricultural judging contests are great for youth that are wanting to learn about agriculture. There is a statewide virtual agricultural judging contest and an agricultural judging contest at the North Florida Fair.
This year we will be hosting the 6th Annual Florida 4-H Virtual Ag Judging Contest. It will take place on October 23 at 6 p.m. EST on Zoom and it is free! There will be a training prior to the contest to allow 4-H youth an opportunity to learn about each topic before participating in the contest. The training will be held on October 21 at 6 p.m. EST on zoom. This contest is great for 4-H youth to learn how to judge bulls, dairy cows, poultry, goats, swine, hay, grain, peanuts, and tomatoes. There will also be questions on tool identification, weed identification, and soil samples. We had so much fun creating this contest virtually and are super excited for youth all over the state to participate! This is our 4th year doing this contest and we are happy to see it grow!
The North Florida Fair Ag Judging Contest will take place on November 15 at the fairgrounds in Tallahassee, Florida. This contest will be covering judging steers, heifers, eggs, hay, and grains. This contest is for youth 4-H age 8-18 that are interested in learning how judge agriculture.
Both contests are great for youth to learn about how to judge each topic. It is very important to know how to tell if you are feeding your animals good hay and grains to make sure your animals stay healthy. It is also important to learn about the structure and what to look for in each livestock animal. Both contests are fun to participate in and learn about the importance of ag judging. I look forward to seeing both contests grow, and more youth learn about the importance of agriculture.
To participate in either of these contests, youth must be 4-H age 8-18 and will need to become a 4-H member. If you have any questions about either of these events, please contact the UF/IFAS Gadsden County Extension office at 850-875-7255.
Evie Blount is a 4-H agent for UF/IFAS Extension Gadsden County.
