BOONE & NANCE COUNTY HAPPENINGS
Beef Weigh-in
The Beef Weigh-in in Boone County is January 25 at 1:00 pm at Town & Country Vet, with a snow date of February 1. 4-H and FFA members in Boone and Nance County are welcome to have their animals tagged, weighed, and a DNA sample taken. This is necessary if the animal is to be eligible for Rate of Gain at the County Fair.
The DNA sample will be needed if you are considering taking your animals to the Nebraska State Fair.
Ag Outlook Meetings
For more information and to register for these free meetings, go to https://cap.unl.edu/outlook/
Cornhusker Economics
Check out the market value of ag land in Nebraska, and the cash rental rates. Download the "Nebraska Farmland Values and Cash Rental Rates in 2025" (updated March 2025) at Cornhusker Economics.
To view other articles, go to https://agecon.unl.edu/cornhusker-economics
Pesticide Safety Education Program
The Pesticide Safety Education Program (PSEP) at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, in concert with Extension Specialists, Extension Educators, and other collaborators, provides educational and training programs that address human health, the environment, economic well-being, and pesticide safety.
For information about private applicator training for certification and licensing, commercial and noncommercial applicator training, chemigation training, and for 2026 in-person training dates and the online private self-study programs, go to https://pested.unl.edu
4-H Enrollment Now Open!
Each year, 4-H members and leaders must re-enroll in the 4-H program. Access the enrollment form at https://v2.4honline.com. If you are a returning member, enter your email address and password. If you have forgotten your password, click “Reset Password” to receive an email with a link to set a new password. Do not create a new profile if you have registered before!
For NEW members! We can’t wait for you to join us! Please visit https://v2.4honline.com. If you have never enrolled in 4-H using 4-H Online, select “Don’t have an account?” Select your state, “Nebraska 4-H Youth Development”, and your county. Each household will have a profile, and individual members will be added under one profile. Choose a club or clubs. If taking a shooting sports project, be sure to select the 4-H Shooting Sports Club as one of your clubs, and then select your project areas.
Projects should be selected if families would like to receive additional information regarding project-specific reminders, such as upcoming deadlines. If you forget to choose a project, no worries, you can still take exhibits from any project area to the fair.
If enrolling in Horse and Shooting Sports, you are required to select these projects due to the consent forms that are required. The goal is to enroll as a 4-H member now. Then when you turn in your fair entries in June, you can add all the exhibits you want.
If your 4-Her plans to attend 4-H camp or participate in any state or national events, you must complete the health section. All other 4-Hers may skip over the health information. Then complete the consent section.
Additional instructions for enrollment can be found at https://extension.unl.edu/statewide/boone-nance/4-h-enrollment-information/. Feel free to contact or come to the office if you need assistance!
Cardinal Classic Cattle Show
Showmanship, Market, and Breeding Cattle Show in Albion, NE Sat 12/13 - 12/14/2025.
Show Information Contacts:
Greg Christo 402-920-2901
Kurtis Rasmussen 402-750-1770
Cody Rasmussen 402-640-2486
Online entry and more information on the Showman App at https://showman.app/#/
FED STEER CHALLENGE
The Nebraska 4‑H Fed Steer Challenge is an opportunity for youth interested in learning more about the cattle industry and is designed to cultivate the next generation of leaders in the Nebraska cattle industry.
The Program includes raising a steer purchased at market price, monthly webinars with industry professionals and UNL Animal Science Faculty, a special class at the Nebraska State Fair evaluated by a commercial cattle buyer, and harvesting steers to evaluate carcass merit. Monthly content includes: Feeder Cattle Pricing and Starting Cattle on Feed, Winter Feeding & Care of Cattle, Implants & Growth Modifiers, Cattle & the Environment, Risk Management Strategies, Summer Feeding & Care of Cattle, Quality & Yield Grading and Grid Pricing for Carcass Merit.
Please apply by December 15th, 2025 for the 2026 program year. For more information
regarding the Fed Steer Challenge, or to submit an application please visit https://4h.unl.edu/fed-steer-challenge
Calling All Volunteers!
- All 4-H Volunteers must enroll annually in 4-H Online at https://v2.4honline.com prior to service. This will provide UNL liability insurance.
- 4-H Council members should choose Program Volunteer, then County Volunteer.
- Club leaders and Project leaders should choose Club Volunteer, then either Organizational Leader or Project Leader.
- Club leaders and Project leaders should also choose Project Volunteer, then Project Leader. You will be prompted to select projects. Choose the ones beginning with “Volunteer”.
2. NEW - All 4-H Volunteers must complete the Volunteer Orientation found at https://go.unl.edu/6que every 3 years, beginning this year. If you completed this training last year, you can enroll before January 5 and forgo the Orientation until next year. After January 5, you will need to complete the Orientation for 2026.
3. Direct Volunteers must also complete the Volunteer Screening at the end of the 4-H Online enrollment every 5 years, based on the initial screening, beginning last year. The fee of $16 for the screening will be reimbursed by the Boone County 4-H Council if requested.
(If you completed the Screening last year, you will NOT need to do this again this year.)
Screening must be completed by March 15 for returning volunteers, or prior to service. New volunteers can enroll at any time.
4. Indirect Volunteers need only complete step 1 above and do not need to do the Volunteer Orientation or Screening.
Indirect volunteers are persons who provide support services for Youth Activities such as teaching assistants, superintendents, judges, food service, set-up crews, maintenance, and any other adults and teens providing indirect service as part of a youth activity.
If you are a parent and not enrolling in 4-H Online, but still wish to volunteer, please come to the Extension Office to sign paper copies of the Code of Conduct and Activity Workers Application and Guideline Review.
If you have questions about this process, please call the Extension Office.
FARROWED AND OWNED SWINE COHORT
A Farrowed and Owned Breeding and Market Swine division for youth interested in learning more about the swine industry is available for youth statewide in 2026! The Nebraska 4-H Farrowed and Owned Swine Cohort is designed to enhance the traditional 4-H swine project and cultivate the next generation of leaders in the swine industry by providing opportunities focusing on swine production as a goal of the 4-H member’s project, along with accurate and complete record-keeping, industry knowledge, and engagement by the 4-H member. In order to participate, youth must be 4-H age 8-18 as of January 1, 2026, complete YQCA, farrowed their project animal(s) and participate in monthly virtual educational meetings.
Youth participating in the Farrowed and Owned Cohort will:
- The cohort will meet virtually the first Sunday of the month at 7:00 p.m. CT, the months of February, March, April, May and June.
- Exhibit their Farrowed and Owned project animals at a 2026 Nebraska county fair or the Nebraska State Fair.
- NEW for 2026: virtual tour of the UNL swine teaching facility will be a featured topic!
-Register at https://unlcorexmuw.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cO9BRcjr0H6jgyO by January 30, 2026! After the registration deadline, you will receive more information via email. For questions, contact Nebraska Extension Swine Specialist Benny Mote at bmote8@unl.edu or 402-310-9878.
