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Kids and Cows helps prepare next generation for agriculture

Photo: Kids and Cows – Northern Wisconsin Beef Producers Association

A Wisconsin group brings education and the show ring together, teaching young people about animal agriculture.

The 18^th annual Kids and Cows event was recently held by the Northern Wisconsin Beef Producers Association.  One of the volunteer educators is Northwood Technical College ag instructor Julie Wadzinski.  She tells Brownfield the students attend three educational sessions and then participate in a beef cow show. “This year, they had 188 kids pre-registered for it ranging, I think the tinyest peanut I saw there in the showmanship class was like four or five years old, all the way up to 21-years old, leaving 4-H young adults.”

Wadzinski says several people get involved in teaching the workshops, which she has participated in for the past three years. “In the past, I’ve done workshops on injections for Beef Quality Assurance. I’ve done breeding and conception stuff, and that was part of this year’s workshop.”

Wadzinski says the organization and its volunteers put on an amazing program. “The kids, the youngest ones get to poke and prod at things. They get to try out the simulator, and what’s great about it is not only do the adult members jump in, but I also have some former students that are willing to hang out with me a little bit and share what they learned in the class with the rest of the kids.”

Along with the educational programs like Kids and Cows, the association also helps its members connect with cattle, embryo, and seedstock buyers and consumers of farm-direct beef.

Wadzinski is also involved with Wisconsin Farm Bureau, where she is a past discussion meet winner and received the 2022 Outstanding Ag Professional award.

AUDIO: Julie Wadzinski discusses Kids and Cows with Brownfield’s Larry Lee