Many of today’s youth are served well through 4-H and FFA programs throughout the state and nation, but those aren’t the only successful youth programs available in agriculture. Several commodity or livestock groups tailor specific programs to encourage youth involvement beyond 4-H or FFA, and Amalgamated Sugar Youth Grower Program is one example of these outstanding programs.

Nez Perce youth take Idaho 4-H to the nation's capitol.

Grangeville student takes showing livestock to community youth clinic.

Several South Magic Valley District FFA students were interviewed about refining a breeding program in their livestock projects.

“Last year was the toughest I’ve ever seen,” says Mike Wilkins, but he is taking it in stride. “Sometimes you have to pay for the lifestyle. We’re gonna have some pretty tight budgets this year – there ain’t gonna be no frill on them.”

“This was a worn-out dairy when I came 10 years ago,” says Eric Evans of Evans Dairy near Castleford. “It originally had a double-four parlor with grain feeder but was built for Holsteins.” Eric wanted to milk Jerseys, and the cow size difference required some remodeling anyway, so he remodeled the parlor to work as a double-nine.