Junior Livestock Show & Sale Sets Record at State Fair!

The ArkLaTex  Agriculture Council,  which sponsored the State Fair of Louisiana Livestock Show and Sale,   brought in a record $411,000 for 193 animals.  The money goes to 4-H'ers and FFA students.

The students were from all over Louisiana,  Caddo,  DeSoto,  Jeff Davis, Sabine and Natchitoches parishes.  Jack Causey,  executive director of the ArkLaTex Ag Council,  said  the students have to spend most of their lives working with animals all the way through high school.

The Ag Council gets 10 percent commission from the sale  with the money being used for scholarships and for operating expenses, according to Causey.

He said currently,  they support 10 students on four-year scholarships.  They go to school in Louisiana.  They must maintain a 3.0  average and they must major in home economics,  agriculture or life sciences.

I saw hogs going anywhere from $1,000 to $5,000,  and three hens being sold for $1,700.

Many businesses collect money and pool it together to buy an animal.

"And this year was pretty much a record sale, "  said,  Causey. "I can't remember in the past 10 years of   having a sale of $400,000.  So we did real good.  And we're selling animals,  but we're also selling  kids  because most of these kids use this money to either  go to college on or to get another animal for next year."

He wants everyone to come out  for the 2012 sale.