Tuscola County Fair

Important Notice from the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD)

Families that raise livestock both as a 4-H project and as their business, please read this MDARD important notice dated May 1, 2024 - Effective May 8, 2024.

Some key points that will impact us the most said: 

  • All exhibitions or expositions of poultry are prohibited until such time that there are no new cases of HPAI in domestic poultry in the State of Michigan for at least 30 consecutive days. As defined in the Animal Industry Act, “poultry” means, but is not limited to, chickens, guinea fowl, turkeys, waterfowl, pigeons, doves, peafowl, and game birds that are propagated and maintained under the husbandry of humans (MCL 287.703(iii)). 
  •  All lactating dairy cattle, and those in the last two months of pregnancy, are prohibited from being exhibited until there are no new cases of HPAI in dairy cattle in the State of Michigan for at least 60 consecutive days. No dairy cattle of any age from infected premises may be exhibited until further notice. 

ReAnna Wilkerson, 4-H Program Coordinator, has talked in detail to both the Small Livestock committee, the Large Livestock Chair, and the respective superintendents about what will be happening this year at our Fair. If you have not seen it yet, Small Livestock has shared a terrific plan of action we have done in previous similar years. The following is from our Poultry Superintendent: “I would like each 4H'r with a poultry market project to start taking photos in progression of your projects. As well as taking a picture with their finished project. The plan is for you to make a project poster that we will hang up in the market arena, so the buyers have something to look at during the fair week. The photo with you and your finished project, we will use to project it on a screen during the market auction. If it comes to be that we cannot bring birds, our layer chicken and duck pen projects will not be able to be sold. They are a live animal project sale and that would be a potential hazard to spread the avian influenza. If you want to change your project to meat chicken pen, they are only 8 weeks old so you would have time to change. You should have the meat chickens by June 1, 2024. I am working hard at putting together a plan for if we need to go bird free and I will keep you posted so we all have plenty of time to have a fun, educational and successful 2024 Fair.”                                                                                                     

The Large Livestock Chair and Dairy Superintendent have also shared that we will be closely following updates and emails from MDARD and from 4-H Co-Director position as to what will be the plan of action moving forward with cattle. As of now, we will be watching any outbreaks in dairy cattle that will prevent our showman from bringing lactating dairy cattle to the fair to show. Please be patient during this time and everyone, please, practice good biosecurity measures and do not interact with other respective farms if possible. Wash hands, change clothes, and limit if not completely cut out outside interactions with poultry or dairy cattle.

 

2024 Tuscola County Fair -- July 20th -July 27th

www.tuscolacountyfair.org

Thirty-three years after the nation’s first state fair was held in Detroit, the Tuscola County Fair was organized on March 11, 1882, initially as the Caro District Agricultural Society. On Sept. 19-22, 1882, the fair hosted its first agricultural, industrial and recreational exhibition. Always a primary agricultural attraction, the county fair has displayed new farming equipment and methods, animals, produce and handicrafts on its current site.

Over the years, many volunteer hours have been dedicated to preserving an American heritage, the county fair.

The fair association owes many thanks to these volunteers as well as thanks to many civic organizations, local businesses and governmental agencies.

Anyone interested in becoming a member of the Tuscola County Fair Association may contact any member of the Board of Directors for information. Our county fair has stood strong for more than 140 years, and together we can continue this long-standing tradition.

 

2024 Tuscola County Fair Book

2024 Tuscola County Fair Entry Online - ShoWorks link

2024 Tuscola County Fair Book 

2024 Tuscola Fair Schedule of Events

2024 Tuscola County Fair Royalty Application Form Application Due June 21, 2024.

Fair Information & Forms    

Record Sheets

In 2015, the Tuscola County Livestock Committees, for both large and small animals, joined together and revised the structure of our required project record books for market animal projects that will be exhibited and sold at the Tuscola County Fair. The record books listed below will be used for the following market animal projects:

Beef, Sheep, Swine, Goat, Feeder Beef, Poultry and Rabbit

Because the same record book template is used for all of the above listed species, the books have been linked to the age of the 4-H member exhibiting the animal project. 

If you have questions, please contact your club leader or ReAnna Wilkerson, Tuscola County’s 4-H program coordinator.

Required Forms

Informational

Project Guides

Study Sheets

Tagging Dates for 2024 Projects  

All 4-H market large livestock to be exhibited in the Tuscola County Fair must be tagged on the dates established by the appropriate superintendent and approved by the Large Livestock Committee. 4-H enrollment must be completed prior to tagging. Please make appropriate arrangements to have your animals at the designated tagging.

  • Beef -March 2nd from 10 - 11 a.m. at Marlette Livestock in Marlette - if opting out of Weigh-in / Rate of Gain - required identification pictures are due to MSU Extension office by Friday, Feb. 23, 2024. 2024 Beef tagging sheet (updated 04/11/24 to include Fair instruction)
  • Swine - May 17th - submit Swine project RFID Identification picture and tag documentation sheet to MSU Extension Office.  2024 Swine tagging sheet (updated 04/11/24 to include Fair instruction)
  • Feeders - May 17th - submit Feeder project RFID Identification picture and tag documentation sheet to MSU Extension Office.   2024 Feeder tagging Sheet (updated 04/11/24 to include Fair instruction)
  • Sheep - May 17th - submit Sheep project scrapie tag identification picture and tag documentation sheet to MSU Extension office. 2024 Sheep tagging sheet (updated 04/11/24 to include Fair instruction)

Please contact the appropriate superintendent for questions:

  • Beef - Jeremy Parker - (989) 670-4585
  • Swine - Carla Schultz - (989) 553-2295
  • Feeders - Adrianna Jackson - (989) 553-2768
  • Sheep - Jeremy Glaspie - (989)714-8799
  • Dairy- Matt Bennett - (989) 823-4810

Electronic Livestock ID Tags    

All livestock in Michigan require a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag effective March 1, 2007. A website has been developed to provide information about the RFID requirements in Michigan. Please visit https://www.michigan.gov/mdard/animals/id-movement  for information about how to obtain a premises ID, where to order tags, details about the requirements for use of the tags, how to manage the application of the ear tags, RFID requirements for youth who will exhibit animals at shows and fairs, etc.

Please feel free to contact MSU Extension at (989) 672-3870 with any questions.

Tuscola County 4⁠-⁠H

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