In March numerous 4-H members attended Quality Assurance training at the Big Sandy Library, taught by Tyler Lane from the Chouteau County Extension. All market livestock members are required to take quality assurance training every two years. The purpose of quality assurance training is to help members understand their role as producers and their responsibility to produce a safe food product while caring for their market animals in an ethical and healthy manner. Providing a safe food product for others is an important obligation for all livestock producers. The training teaches us ethics and how to provide for our animals welfare through proper care and management, including food, water, and shelter along with protecting them from harm by minimizing stress and suffering. By following the guidelines and ethical practices taught livestock members can ensure that the consumers know that they will be purchasing a safe and wholesome product.
Our March meeting was quick, we organized a few details for our Easter Egg My Yard Fundraiser, discussed future field trip ideas and members formed a decorating committee for the fair. The theme of the Chouteau County Fair this year will be: Hold your horses and Kick up your heels.
During our April meeting, we closed out a few items of Old Business. Leaders reminded us of the importance of working on our financial records and project books and not waiting for the last minute to complete them. Our new club banner and member shirts arrived in time to be handed out, we all liked them. After the meeting Elise Hartley gave a talk on, How to Properly Fit a Saddle, Eryn Hartley demonstrated How to Saddle a Horse and Brookelyn Cline gave a talk on How to Sew a Bib.
