Editors note: This is the third in a series of articles running through National 4-H Week, highlighting all the good things this organization does for youth.

Read part one here:  Teens learn and lead in 4-H

Read part two here:  Local 4-H Science of Ag teams heading for nationals

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By Kate Harrington

University of Minnesota Extension

For Mower County 4-H members, the 4-H Livestock Ribbon Auction at the Mower County Fair highlights the hard work and dedication they’ve put into raising and caring for their prized livestock. The auction, held annually for the last 46 years, takes place on the Saturday of the Mower County Fair in August. The auction is another way to reward the commitment of young people to the quality of 4-H youth development projects.

The 4-H Livestock Ribbon Auction is a ‘ribbon sale,’ which gives 4-Hers the experience of taking at least one of their exhibited animals through a sale ring while earning extra funds for themselves and the Mower County 4-H program. The 4-Hers may sell the premium on one blue or red ribbon market beef, poultry, rabbit, sheep, goat or swine. Youth in the dairy and llama fiber projects may sell the premium on one of their purple ribbon animals or fiber.

One hundred and 27 4-H members participated in the 2019 auction

Businesses, organizations or individuals are invited to bid at the Ribbon Auction. The bid is on the ribbon placing of the animal only, giving the 4-Her an extra premium which is shared with the county wide program.

Ownership of the animal does not change hands. A pre-determined premium is given to each 4-H member with the remaining amount of each bid going to support the Mower County 4-H program. The ribbon auction is Mower County 4-H’s only fundraiser. The Ribbon Auction is made possible by the generous support of each bidder at the Ribbon Auction. The money given to help fund Mower County 4-H participation at camps, leadership, volunteer and project training, and other activities at little or no cost to the participant.

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Mower County 4-H would like to thank the following businesses, organizations and individuals for their support of the 4-H program and the 2019 4-H Livestock Ribbon Auction: 

Absolute Energy-Lyle, Adams Area Businesses-2019, AdDe’s Humming Llamas, Advantage Crop Consulting, Ag Partners, Agri-Steel, Inc., Akkerman Manufacturing, Albert Smith Trucking, All American Co-op, Arvig Telephone, Austin Area Chamber of Commerce, Austin FFA  Alumni Association, Austin Veterinary Clinic, Baudoin Oil Co., Big Fan Syndicate, Bloomfield Mutual, Boehm Family Club Lambs, Boehm Family Dorsets, Bremer Bank, Brownsdale Auto Body, Brownsdale Area Business, Brownsdale Fire Department, Bruce Bucknell Construction, Bubbles Cafe, Bustad Dozing, Cedar River Rabbit Club, Chris and Kimberly Case, CHS-Grand Meadow, CliftonAllen Larson, Community Utilities, Crimson Fever Cattle, Dave’s Plumbing, David Smith, Diane’s Salon Classics, Doug’s Automotive & Performance, English Electric, Erickson Family Farm, Farm  Bureau Financial Services, Farmers & Merchants State Bank, Farmers State Agency, First Farmers & Merchant, First Farmers & Merchant – GM, First State Bank of LeRoy, Freeborn Mower Cooperative Services, Gene’s Dairy, Genesus, Glynn’s Motor Mart, Godfathers Pizza, GoldStar Amusement, Grand Meadow Chiropractic, Grand Meadow License, Grand Meadow Veterinary Clinic, Halbach Farms, Hamilton Auction Company, Hammell Equipment, Hanson Construction, Hefty Seed Co. of LeRoy, Hemann Rentals, High Forest BobCat, Hormel Foods Corporation, Huseby  Insurance, IBI, Irlbeck Grain, Irvin Dairy, J & R Ransom Trucking, Jamie or Lori Beck, Jane Brown Farm, Jim Risius, John Elias, John Taylor, Jones Farm, Kibble Equipment, Koopal Construction, Land Resource Mgmt., Lanesboro Sale, Laura and Rachel Meany, Leroy Commercial Club, Lyle American Legion, Lyle Lions Club, Main Street, Market Place, Marcus Mandt Farm Bureau, Meadowland Soy, Meyerhofer Steel, Mike Bissen, Mower County ADA, Mower County Cattlemen’s Association, Mower county Fair Board, Mower County Fair Vendors, Mower County Farm Bureau, Mower County Farm Bureau, Mower County Pork Producers, Mower County Corn and Soybean,  Mr. Sam Communications, Napa Auto Parts of Spring Valley, Next Generation Pork, Northern Country Co-op,Nutrien Ag Solutions, Obsession Swiss, Oehlke Farms, Olson Tree Service, Parties Made Simple, Paul Apenhorst Agency, Peter R. Marx, Pioneer Seed, Quality Pork Processors, Read’s Brown Swiss Dairy Farm, Risuis Motor, Rouff, Inc-2019, Ryan and Melissa Smith, Sargeant Grain, SEMA Equipment, SGI, Skjenke Bom Lounge, Smidt Companies, Sterling State Bank – Lyle, Suess Auction & Imp., Taylor Insurance, Tucker Tiling, Ulwelling Farms, Ulwelling Farms-Rose Creek, Ulwelling Properties, United Farmers State Bank-Adams, Weis Landscaping & Design, LLC, Young Truck Lines