We all know that you can exhibit your beef project at the county fair, state fair or other beef shows.  In the beef project you can show Market Beef, Breeding Beef or Feeder Calves.  But did you know you can create exhibits that are an outgrowth of the beef project to enter in the building at fair too?  Here are some examples:

POSSIBLE FAIR EXHIBITS
• Create a poster on the nutrition benefits of eating beef
• Tan the hide of a beef animal
• Create a beef nutrition trivia game
• Create a beef display that you can set up in your schools, communities or even the beef barns at fair to educate the public about beef
• Talk to an elementary classroom and explain how we raise cattle and their role in the environment. Write this presentation up into a notebook
• Health care, feeding or waste management records for your beef project
• Research careers in the beef industry

The possibilities are endless. At fair this would be an animal science exhibit and judged by the Ag & Natural Resources judge.  If you are already enrolled in the beef project you are ready to bring other exhibits like these to fair.

CITIZENSHIP IDEAS
• Help paint and fix up cattle barns for fair
• Assist beef producers in promoting beef
• Share equipment with others
• Help grill beef at a benefit dinner
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LEADERSHIP IDEAS
• Plan and Conduct a beef educational program for schools
• Organize the work schedule for your club’s herdsmanship
• Organize a beef promotion in the local grocery store.  Hand out samples and recipe cards to shoppers
• Help solicit donations for the open beef show
• Serve as a Junior Superintendent in the Beef Department and help with weigh-ins, the show and sale
• Coordinate and teach a showmanship and fitting contest to help other 4-H'ers prepare for fair

COMMUNICATION IDEAS
• Join the Beef Team and promote beef
• Advertise the open show to other youth through radio, newspaper and fliers
• Submit lean beef recipes to your local paper emphasizing beef’s role in a heart healthy diet
• Write an article about the economic impact cattle have on your county’s economy, Iowa’s economy and the US economy for your local newspaper
• Write a letter to the editor explaining why cattle are good for the environment
• Give a presentation on the nutritional benefits of eating beef to your speech class, health class or 4-H club.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
• www.iabeef.org
• www.beefnutrition.org
• www.beef.org
• www.beefitswhatsfordinner.com