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Missouri State Fair Commodity Carnival engages, teaches youth

CME Group and the National 4-H Council partnered to create the Commodity Carnival, one of the activities at the Missouri State Fair.  The Commodity Carnival is a learning activity for students to experience managing the business risks associated with producing and bringing livestock to market.

Shane Potter_CommCarnival“Commodity Carnival is a way that 4-H can reach out and engage the general public to learn about ag literacy, as well as understanding the risks and the aspects of producing a pig in this case,” said Shane Potter, the ag science specialist for Missouri.

The Commodity Carnival consists of activities that guide participants through the process of producing and selling livestock.  This year, participants will grow and sell a hog.

DSCN5436“How we show them is we have a little pink Easter egg representing a pig,” said Mitchell Moon of Tipton, Missouri, a State 4-H Council member.  “We have four buckets representing your fuel costs, your feed costs, your electrical and heating bills and eventually your vet and nutrition costs.”

In addition to its appearance at the Missouri State Fair, the Commodity Carnival is at nearly 120 state and county fairs throughout the Midwest this year.

AUDIO: Mitchell Moon (2 min. MP3)

AUDIO: Shane Potter (3 min. MP3)

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