Michigan State Fair Junior Livestock Auction Generates Increased Participation

Michigan Department of Agriculture (MDA) Director Mitch Irwin today declared the 2005 Michigan State Fair Junior Livestock Auction a success, with gross sales for the auction totaling $129,450. The auction was held August 17, following the annual Governor's Luncheon on the fairgrounds. Governor Jennifer Granholm and Irwin served as floor "spotters" during the auction. Champion livestock, including the grand champion steer, hog and lamb, sold for a combined total of $53,000 during the auction.

“The young producers who show animals at the Michigan State Fair livestock competitions get such a tremendous sense of pride and accomplishment from this experience, and the auction is a wonderful opportunity for them to raise funds for college and other needs,” Irwin said. “The 2005 corporate and private bidders deserve a hearty thanks for their support and generous purchases.”

Prior successes of the livestock auction have dramatically increased youth participation at the Michigan State Fair. This year, there were over 400 youth competing in livestock events, and nearly 200 youth competed in skill-a-thon events, including a livestock quiz, showmanship and judging. A statewide showmanship contest was held on Thursday, August 18, 2005, with 109 youth representing over 30 counties.

Proceeds from auction bids that surpass pre-determined sales caps are used to fund the Michigan Youth Livestock Scholarship Fund. This year’s scholarship recipients are: Evan Boehmer of Olivet; Michelle Dickinson of Montgomery; Brigitte Grobbel of Richmond; Greta Koebel of Three Oaks; Julie Thelen of Saline; Kylie Verhelle of Fenton; and Krystal Welshans of Ann Arbor. The scholarship fund also granted $21,000 in educational awards to more than 110 youth livestock exhibitors in the skill-a-thon competition. Since 2000, the scholarship fund has granted a total of $151,000 in educational awards and scholarships. Overall, the 2005 livestock auction raised $19,300 for the scholarship fund through the implementation of a sales cap, and the sale of the Best of Class wines, Grand Champion cheese, milk and butter.

2005 exhibitors, purchasers and sale prices of the top animals exhibited were:

• Grand Champion market steer, exhibited by Katie Cook of Reed City, purchased by Smithfield Beef Group for $30,000;
• Grand Champion market lamb, exhibited by Ashleigh Sonnenberg of Lambertville, purchased by Meijer, Inc. for $13,000;
• Grand Champion market hog, exhibited by Doug Albright of Coldwater, purchased by the Kroger Company for $10,000;
• Reserve Grand Champion market steer, exhibited by Michelle Dickinson of Montgomery, purchased by the Smithfield Beef Group for $6,000;
• Reserve Grand Champion market lamb, exhibited by Renee Smith of Remus, purchased by the Wolverine Packing Company for $4,000;
• Reserve Grand Champion market hog, exhibited by Michael Janca of Owosso, purchased by the Kroger Company for $4,000;
• Grand Champion pair of market steers, exhibited by Brady and Brandi Rupprecht of Vassar, purchased by Michigan Farm Bureau for $5,000;
• Grand Champion pair of market lambs, exhibited by Jacob Patterson of Lapeer, purchased by Boyers Meat Processing for $2,600;
• Grand Champion pair of market hogs, exhibited by Brandon Ford of Brown City, purchased Kowalski Sausage Company for $3,500;
• Reserve Grand Champion pair of market steers, exhibited by Ashley and Casey AcMoody of Union City, purchased by United Producers for $3,100;
• Reserve Grand Champion pair of market lambs, exhibited by Erin Waltke of Burr Oak, purchased by Representatives Richard Ball, Tom Casperson, Bruce Caswell, David Farhat, Goeff Hansen, Joe Hune, Philip LaJoy, Neal Nitz. John Proos, Tonya Shuitmaker and John Stahl for $1,400; and
• Reserve Grand Champion pair of market hogs, exhibited by Matt Gordeneer of Vermontville, purchased by Kowalski Sausage Company for $1,900.

Also auctioned were the Best of Class wines, butter, milk and cheese. Two Best of Class wine baskets sold for $1,500 to Al Long Ford and Representative Neal Nitz for $800, respectively. GreenStone Farm Credit Services purchased the Grand Champion Butter for $1,300; United Dairy Industry of Michigan purchased the Grand Champion Milk for $2,000; and the Grand Champion Cheese sold for $1,200 to Michigan Milk Producers Association.

Michigan Department of Agriculture employees, participating in their tenth auction, purchased two “spotlight” steers exhibited by Robert Laux of Petersburg for $2,000, and Julie Thelen of Saline for $2,250. The purchases will be processed and proceeds will be donated to the Food Bank Council of Michigan.

Please visit the MSF Youth Livestock Auction photo gallery to see all the images.