Young people planning to display their talents at the Berrien County Youth Fair this summer are being told it’s time to start thinking about their entries. The BCYF tells us more:
Exhibitor handbooks are available now! A huge thanks to Andrews University for the sponsoring and printing of the 2022 Exhibitor Handbooks. Books and entry forms may be picked up at the Fair Office in Berrien Springs, all Berrien County Public Libraries, the Berrien County 4-H office and the following Berrien County businesses. Equine forms will be available at the libraries and Fair office only.
• Baroda City Mills in Baroda
• Country Heritage Credit Union in Buchanan
• Tractor Supply Company and Rural King in Niles
• Watervliet Fruit Exchange in Watervliet
• Siefert’s Farm Supply in Three Oaks
• Tractor Supply Company in Stevensville
Exhibitor handbooks can also be viewed online by specific department or the full book at www.bcyf.org. Exhibitor handbooks contain information on how to exhibit, exhibitor rules, registration deadlines and a complete listing of all classes available. Exhibitors must be five to twenty years of age to exhibit all animals, including livestock and still exhibits (crafts, home economics, horticulture, flowers). Age is determined as of January 1st of the current year. Once registered, (each year you will create a user name and password – it can be the same as last year’s) exhibitors can return to the program and add more entries up until each entry deadline, with the exception of equine. The exhibitor’s printed email confirmation will serve as the traditional yellow copy of the entry form and is required on entry day, just as the yellow copy of the traditional entry form is. The link for online entries can be found at www.bcyf.org.
Don’t forget your school projects! In most cases, your school project can be exhibited and you get paid for exhibiting! Each exhibitor will receive an exhibitor season pass for free admission to the fair for the entire week. Each exhibit will be judged and given an A, B, or C award. Exhibitors will receive a ribbon and monetary award (premium) that corresponds with the award. Ribbons will be distributed when exhibits are picked up at the conclusion of the fair and premium checks can be picked up at the entry office as well on Saturday, August 20 from 2-5 p.m. or Sunday, August 21 from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Registration deadlines:
• JUNE 1ST: Large animals (beef breeding, dairy, sheep, goats, swine, llamas/alpacas and equine)
• JULY 1ST: Small animals (rabbits, poultry, cats, dogs, pocket pets)
• AUGUST 1ST: Still exhibits (crafts, home economics, flowers, horticulture, variety classes)
No entries will be accepted after the deadline. Entry forms can be turned in anytime from May 1st until the appropriate deadline date.
BCYF Exhibitor Handbooks/2
Entry forms for equine and llama/alpaca are customized printed forms. Exhibitors will need to pick up their equine or llama/alpaca forms at the Fair Office in Berrien Springs. Llama/alpacas can be registered online, but equine MUST be registered with the customized printed form.
Animal identification rules from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) include:
DAIRY & BEEF:
• Must have official USDA identification tag – Tag Hotline (888) 565-8626 OR Registered breed tattoo accompanied by breed registration papers
• Dairy cattle can use a DHIA tag as official id (Dairy Herd Improvement Assoc.).
GOATS:
• Must have official USDA Scrapie identification tag – Tag Hotline (517) 337-4705
OR
Registered breed tattoo accompanied by breed registration papers
SHEEP:
• Must have official USDA Scrapie tag – Tag Hotline (517) 337-4705
SWINE:
• Must have a NUES or an 840 tag – Tag Hotline (888) 565-8626
The USDA tag number must be on the entry form when it is turned in to the Fair Office by the June 1st deadline, so youth need to order their tags as soon as possible.
The Fair Office is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. A special drop box is located just outside the office doors and contains a supply of books and entry forms. Completed entry forms may be left in the slot of the drop box, mailed to the Fair Office, P.O. Box 7, Berrien Springs, MI 49103, or hand delivered during office hours. Registrations will be accepted from May 1st up to the appropriate deadline date. Early registration is encouraged so deadlines are not missed. Contact the Fair Office at 269-473-4251 by phone or at entry@bcyf.org by e-mail with questions.
This year’s BCYF theme is “Red, White and Blue in 2022”; Fair dates are August 15-20, 2022.
