News
Loss of livestock showing sad “but kids are resilient”
Livestock shows have been affected by the pandemic with many being cancelled this summer and others undecided.
Rebecca Mott, who teaches education and leadership in the University of Missouri College of Agriculture (CAFNR), says it affects everyone associated with the shows, “The kids are disappointed. The parents are disappointed. There’s a lot of work, a lot of money, a lot of planning that goes into these livestock projects. So, that’s the first thing I think we all have to acknowledge is that we’re SAD. This isn’t what anyone would have chosen.”
Mott did a study of five students in 2018 and followed them at their farms and at the show ring and found the sense of community is huge but so is the connection with family. She tells Brownfield Ag News, “They say some beautiful things that show that they care very much about livestock, not just because they like the animals so much, which they do, but it’s very much a part of the fabric of their family.” Mott says this is a good time to spend time together as a family and help those students hone their skills and learn new ones.
Mott urges everyone who can to communicate virtually and consider getting together in small groups where allowed to help keep those connections strong. Mott says kids are resilient and will get through this.
Mott’s letter to “Friends in Agriculture”
^ Interview with Rebecca Mott ^