Rural Issues: Kids learn from fair experiences

Just like that, summer is winding down. School buses are back on the roads, kids are finding their routines again and there’s a familiar crispness creeping into the morning air.

Autumn is on its way — and many of us are left wondering, where did the summer go?

At Brownfield Ag News, our team has spent the past several weeks on the road, covering events across the Midwest. Part of that coverage includes county and state fairs.

We’ve had the pleasure of telling the stories of rural communities and, more importantly, the young people at the heart of them.

There’s something deeply gratifying about reporting on 4-H and FFA members who are raising animals, showing livestock and learning responsibility through hands-on work.

In a time when the media often focuses on troubled youth and negative headlines, these young agriculturalists are reminders that there’s a whole generation of kids choosing a different path — one paved with early mornings, late nights, hard-earned ribbons and deep respect for animals and the land.

That path isn’t always easy. Today’s young people in agriculture face growing pressure to defend what they do.

Modern agriculture is no longer universally seen as the wholesome, family-centered enterprise it once was.

The size of your farm or the breed of your animals doesn’t matter — there are critics who believe animals shouldn’t be raised for food at all.

Others question the use of modern tools and technology, casting suspicion on practices they don’t understand.

Animal agriculture, in particular, is under a microscope. Misleading narratives often paint those who raise livestock as careless or cruel, despite generations of evidence to the contrary.

These accusations can be deeply disheartening, especially for kids who spend hours with their animals, learning to read their behaviors and providing the best care they can.

That’s why we love walking through livestock barns at fairs and shows. You’ll see a young girl gently brushing her steer or a boy offering a drink to his pig after a long day.

These aren’t just chores; they’re quiet acts of trust and connection. These kids are learning what it means to be a stockman or woman. They are developing skills, empathy and a deep-rooted respect for animals and agriculture.

Fewer children today are raised on farms and with that shift comes a greater risk of losing touch with how food is produced. That’s why it’s so important to support and uplift these young ambassadors.

Whether it’s your child, grandchild, neighbor, or student, the time they spend working with animals or exhibiting livestock is an opportunity to educate, inspire and build bridges with others who may not share their background.

Our young people are agriculture’s future — and the world’s. If we invest in them today, they’ll be ready to lead tomorrow.

And they’ll carry with them a deep, abiding love for the land, animals and the responsibility that comes with feeding a growing world.