September 3, 2008

DETROIT - Top bids were received for prize livestock, raised by 4-H and FFA members during the annual Youth Livestock Auction on Wednesday, August 29, 2008, at the Michigan State Fair in Detroit. Michigan Department of Agriculture (MDA) Director Don Koivisto and Paul W. Smith, WJR AM, served as celebrity bid “spotters” on the auction floor. The 2008 youth auction gross sales were over $135,000.

The Kroger Company was the top purchaser - spending $48,000 to purchase seven lots, including the grand and reserve grand champion steers, reserve grand champion lamb, and grand champion pair of hogs. Meijer, Inc. also purchased seven lots totaling $19,850 including the grand champion hog and the grand champion pair of lambs.

Since 2000, the Michigan Youth Livestock Scholarship Fund has granted a total of $229,450 in educational awards and scholarships. The 2008 scholarship winners are Ricka Boehmer of Williamston; Kurt Doneth of Durand; Nathan Gonzalez of Springport; Cally Hass of Cassopolis; Steven Riebel of Armada; Ryan Smoes of Hamilton; and Rachel Vaassen of Ann Arbor.

Purchasers and sale prices of the top animals included:

• Grand Champion market steer, exhibited by Greg Harmon of North Branch, purchased by the Kroger Company for $25,000.
• Grand Champion market lamb, exhibited by Casey AcMoody of Union City, purchased by Wolverine Packing Company for $6,000.
• Grand Champion market hog, exhibited by Cailyn Hines of Quincy, purchased by Meijer, Inc. for $10,000.
• Grand Champion market goat, exhibited by Heather Hunt of East Leroy, purchased by Boyer’s Meat Processing for $2,250.
• Reserve Grand Champion market steer, exhibited by Ryan Smoes of Hamilton, purchased by the Kroger Company for $10,000.
• Reserve Grand Champion market lamb, exhibited by Nathan Smoker of Bronson, purchased by the Kroger Company for $5,000.
• Reserve Grand Champion market hog, exhibited by Jacob Sloan of Quincy, purchased by Kowalski Sausage Company for $5,500.
• Reserve Grand Champion market goat, exhibited by Jill Hunt of East Leroy, purchased by Boyer’s Meat Processing for $1,500.
• Grand Champion pair of market steers, exhibited by Casey AcMoody of Union City, purchased by Michigan Farm Bureau for $4,750.
• Grand Champion pair of market lambs, exhibited by Morgan AcMoody of Union City, purchased by Meijer, Inc. for $2,750.
• Grand Champion pair of market hogs, exhibited by Cailyn Hines of Quincy, purchased by the Kroger Company for $4,000.
• Reserve Grand Champion pair of market steers, exhibited by Kelsey and Ryan Geiman of Carleton, purchased by Kendale Farms for $4,500.
• Reserve Grand Champion pair of market lambs, exhibited by Kelsey AcMoody of Union City, purchased by Michigan Farm Bureau Employees for $2,250.
• Reserve Grand Champion Pair of market hogs, exhibited by Taylor Copes of New Lothrop, purchased by Michigan Milk Producers Association for $3,500.

Also auctioned were award-winning wines, butter, milk, and cheese. The two wine baskets -full of top winners from the Michigan Wine and Spirits Competition - were sold to the Kroger Company and Michigan Farm Bureau Employees for $1,500 and $1,200, respectively.

GreenStone Farm Credit purchased the Grand Champion Butter for $1,000; United Dairy Industry of Michigan purchased the Grand Champion Cheese for $4,000; and the Grand Champion Milk sold for $4,000 to Michigan Milk Producers Association.

MDA employees, participating in their 12th auction, purchased a “spotlight” lamb, exhibited by Amanda Koch of Chelsea for $1,100. MDA employees also purchased a share of the market hog at the Upper Peninsula State Fair from Katie Broeders of Cornell for $671. Processing proceeds will be donated to the Food Bank Council of Michigan and the Salvation Army.

• Photos from the auction can be found here.
• High resolution photos available to the media or auction participants and their friends and families can be found here.