AgFest Market Turkey Exhibitors and Advisors,  It is time for Turkey orders and purchase!!!! Birds will cost $6.25 each. We have a tentative order from Select Genetics who we have used for the past couple of years. 

Act now and talk your students/chapters/programs.  This is your FIRST AND 2^ND CALL!!!    Pick up will depend on the hatchery availably sometime between February 27-March 2^nd. We will have that specific detail after our order numbers are confirmed to the hatchery.  Current plan is for a central pick up location in Tracy on that confirmed date.

Deadline to submit an order to Marlene Hepner is February 14^th by 5 pm. You can email with questions anytime. Please send orders to mhepner@tusd.net – ATTN: Turkey Orders. 

We have been pinging about the likely hood of the ‘Bird Flu’ shutting us down and all that I have been told is ‘there are currently no restrictions’. 

Please be advised that, we will also be collecting orders for Meat Birds with the help of Mr. Turax at Modesto Junior College starting in March.  Please do not send your meat bird numbers now.

Exhibitors of market swine projects for AgFest 2023 will be subject to new Proposition 12 regulations that took effect September 1, 2022 relating to new minimum standards that have been established in California for the confinement of certain livestock species, including swine. If you are a market swine exhibitor, please read the attached statement that summarizes the new requirements and how they affect you for this upcoming AgFest 2023.

For further information about how these new regulations affect youth exhibitors in California, we encourage you to read the attached statement from the California Department of Food and Agriculture.

If you will be showing as an independent at AgFest 2023, please download and review the Independent Record Book below.

Important Dates:
March 15 – Exhibitor/Parent/AgFest Agreement due
March 15 – Bill of Sale and Photos must be submitted for Dairy Replacement Heifers and Market Beef
*February 1 – Ownership Date for Dairy Replacement Heifers
*February 8 – Ownership Date for Market Beef
April 11 – Bill of Sale and Photos must be submitted for Market Sheep, Market Goats, and Market Swine
*April 11 – Ownership Date for Market Sheep, Market Goats, and Market Swine
May 11 – Bill of Sale and Photos must be submitted for Market Rabbits, Market Poultry and Market Turkeys
*May 11 – Ownership Date for Market Rabbits, Market Poultry and Market Turkeys
May 12 – Photos must be submitted for all Breeding animals
*May 11 – Ownership Date for All Breeding Animals

The 2023 Junior AgFest Committee had a successful 1st meeting! A theme was voted in and will be presented at the February meeting. The next meeting will be held on February 8th at 6:30 PM. It is not too late to join…youth 13 years and older are all welcome! Just download the handbook and application and return the completed application to MOAG5@yahoo.com or to:

Jennifer Morelos
4607 S. River Road
Vernalis, CA 95385

The executive board is in the process of reviewing and updating the bylaws for AgFest. If you would to review the bylaws and provide feedback, please click here to download the bylaws. If you have questions or comments, please email them to agfestshow@gmail.com

The dairy replacement heifer application is available. Important dates are as follows:

October 7th 2022 – Breeding date(s) may NOT be prior to October 7th
February 1st 2023 – Heifers must be owned by exhibitor not later than Feb 1st.
March 15th 2023 – Program Application with CLEAR photos with ear tag included in the photo (both sides), dam test sheet, veterinarians verification of pregnancy, Bill of Sale, and the completed SIGNED Inspection Questionnaire are due by mail by March 15th

NOTE: There will be no Beef Replacement Heifer division in 2023 due to lack of interest.

The barn chair volunteer form has been published. If you would like to volunteer to be a barn chair this year, please complete the barn chair application as soon as possible.

2022-2023 Barn Chair Application

If you are interested in loan opportunities for your youth and this year’s livestock projects. American Ag Credit and F&M Bank both have programs with very favorable terms that can give a head start on building credit.

Click here for details.

Please join us for our monthly general meetings to keep informed about AgFest and learn about opportunities to get involved!

NOTE: There will no longer be a separate executive board meeting…the meetings will be combined for the remainder of the 2022-2023 season.

February 7, 2023, Monthly Meeting at 6:00 PM – 2922 Transworld Dr – Nelson Building – Locke 1/2

March 7, 2023, Monthly Meeting at 6:00 PM – 2922 Transworld Dr – Nelson Building – Locke 1/2

April 4, 2023, Monthly Meeting at 6:00 PM – 2922 Transworld Dr – Nelson Building – Locke 1/2

May/June dates and locations TBD

Stay up to date with text updates for AgFest. Send a text to 81010 with the message @agfest20.