The Escambia County Board of County Commissioners and the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) are excited to announce the Gulf Coast Agriculture and Natural Resources Youth Organization (GCA & NRYO) Spring Livestock Show, the first youth livestock show and sale at the recently completed 4-H barns. The event, held on the new 4-H grounds, will take place on Saturday, April 18, 2015. A formal ribbon cutting will take place at 8:30 am at the show barn before the start of the swine show.
The GCA & NYRO is a support organization of 4-H and FFA. This organization gives the youth of Escambia County and surrounding counties of Florida and Alabama the opportunity to show off skills they have learned from their 4-H and FFA animal sciences projects. Local 4-H youth have been diligently working on their projects this year and will be competing in the event. The livestock show will start at 8 a.m.
For more information about the event, view the attached flyer. To find out more about 4-H Animal Science in Escambia County visit their website or contact Hank Bignell (4-H Agriculture and Small Farms Agent) at (850) 475-5230 or [email protected].
About the 4-H Property
The new 4-H property, located at 5701 Hwy 99 in Molino, is dedicated to the mission of Escambia County 4-H. It was purchased in May of 2014 as part of a Memorandum of Understanding between the UF/IFAS, Escambia County Board of County Commissioners and the Escambia County 4-H Foundation. This purchase was part of the package agreement as a result of the sale of the Langley Bell 4-H Property on Nine Mile Road to Navy Federal Credit Union.
The Escambia County 4-H Foundation reimbursed Escambia County Board of County Commissioners $540,000 for the purchase price of the 108 acres. As part of the agreement, Escambia County pledged $250,000 in Local Option Sales Tax (L.O.S.T.) funds to construct barns for the purpose of supporting 4-H projects in animal science, agriculture and outdoor education.
Escambia County will maintain the property, while the Escambia County 4-H Foundation will be responsible for other improvements on the property as part of the overall needs of the UF/IFAS 4-H Youth Development Program. This partnership has thrived for over 65 years with the original donation from Langley and Minnie Bell in 1943 that setup a trust for Escambia County 4-H with the Board of County Commissioners.
