Demonstrating their strong commitment to supporting the next generation of agricultural leaders, the Farm Bureau invested over $35,000 at this year’s Junior Livestock Auction at the Delaware State Fair on July 24, 2025.
Each year, junior exhibitors in the beef, swine, sheep, and goat departments compete for a spot in the Junior Livestock Auction, which features the top three beef cattle and goats and the top four hogs and lambs from each class. Animals are sold to the highest bidder, who may choose to keep the animal or donate it back to the exhibitor, 4-H, or FFA programs.
This year, the Delaware Farm Bureau (DEFB) purchased the grand champion goat, exhibited by Mckenna Vest, early in the auction. They continued their support by being the highest bidder on seven additional animals, extending their support across all species and youth in all three counties. All animals purchased by DEFB were donated back to the 4-H and FFA, amounting to over $22,000 in total support for Delaware junior exhibitors.
County Farm Bureaus and committees also got in on the action. Kent County Farm Bureau spent just under $3,000, New Castle County Farm Bureau and Sussex County Farm Bureau each spent just over $4,000, and the Young Farmers and Ranchers committee spent $2,100 on a hog for their half-a-hog raffle.
“We’re fortunate to support young exhibitors at this level and proud to invest in the future of agriculture,” said DEFB President Bill Powers. “But it’s not just about the winning bids; every back bid helped those kids earn more for their animals. Everyone who participated made a difference.”
For more information about the Delaware Farm Bureau, please visit www.defb.org.
