LOUISVILLE, KY – Grady Shaffer, a Illinois 4-H member from Adams County, showcased his poultry expertise on a national stage at the 2024 National 4-H Poultry and Egg Conference, held Nov. 21 in Louisville, Kentucky. Grady competed among top 4-H youth from across the country, earning an impressive 7th place finish in past production hen judging out of 79 competitors.
The National 4-H Poultry and Egg Conference celebrates 4-H members who have excelled in their state poultry programs. Through hands-on learning and competition, youth develop critical skills related to the poultry industry, including decision-making, reasoning, communication, and technical knowledge in areas such as poultry physiology, food safety, and nutrition.
Skills tested during the Poultry Judging competition include orderly decision-making, using reasoning skills, communicating decisions, poultry dish preparation, food safety, and subject matter knowledge of species of poultry, food safety, physiology, nutrition, and eggs.
Outside of competition knowledge, national competitions also help youth learn life skills and introduces the participants to careers in the poultry and allied industries.
Financial support was provided by the Department of Animal Sciences, the State 4-H Office, and the Illinois 4-H Foundation.
About Illinois 4-H: Illinois 4-H is the flagship youth development program of University of Illinois Extension and administered through the College of Agriculture, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences. 4-H grows true leaders, youth who are empowered for life today and prepared for a career tomorrow. The hands-on approach in 4-H gives young people guidance, tools, and encouragement, and then puts them in the driver’s seat to make great things happen. Independent research confirms the unparalleled impact of the 4-H experience, demonstrating that young people are four times more likely to contribute to their communities; two times more likely to make healthier choices; two times more likely to be civically active; and two times more likely to participate in STEM programs.
Source: Ken Koelkebeck, University of Illinois, Extension Specialist, Poultry
Writer: Carissa Nelson, Media Communications Manager, 4-H State Office, carissa7@illinois.edu
University of Illinois Extension develops educational programs, extends knowledge, and builds partnerships to support people, communities, and their environments as part of the state's land-grant institution. Extension serves as the leading public outreach effort for University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences in all 102 Illinois counties through a network of 27 multi-county units and over 700 staff statewide. Extension’s mission is responsive to eight strategic priorities — community, economy, environment, food and agriculture, health, partnerships, technology and discovery, and workforce excellence — that are served through six program areas — 4-H youth development, agriculture and agribusiness, community and economic development, family and consumer science, integrated health disparities, and natural resources, environment, and energy.