COTTAGE GROVE, Ore. — In a barn at the Western Oregon Exposition Heritage Fairground, veterinarian Dr. Lauren Furrer lifted a goat’s front leg, showing young attendees that the tender skin under its armpit is the right spot for an injection.
The children sat around a table, each with a syringe and a vial of water, practicing on oranges.
Baby goats bleated in the pen nearby, while a few were placed on a table for closer interaction. Teens carefully handled the goats as part of a hands-on learning experience.
This was the inaugural Youth Livestock Field Day in Lane County, co-hosted by the Oregon State University Extension Service’s 4-H Youth Development and Small Farms programs. The event introduced youths to topics that apply to all livestock, including animal ownership, vaccines, meat quality and biosecurity.
“We’re trying to highlight the importance of the whole food supply chain,” said Elizabeth Gangwer, 4-H program coordinator in Lane County. “By raising animals, they play a role in that, and we want to help them provide quality to our food supply chain.”
A shrinking pool of young farmers
Participants came from across Lane County, including kids who are not enrolled in 4-H.
The field day featured four sessions taught by Extension faculty and livestock industry professionals partnering with Extension. Classes ranged from grain identification and meat-cut charts to making rope halters.
Amber McLernon breeds goats at Dream Dancin’ Acres, a farm just outside Eugene. A former 4-H’er who studied animal science as a kid, she brought her goats to the event for the hands-on vaccination class.
“I want to give back to 4-H where I can help encourage the next generation of people that are going to be in the livestock business in the future,” she said.
She has noticed it’s becoming harder to attract a younger workforce to agriculture and livestock industries, largely because of the challenge of accessing and affording farmland.
According to the 2022 Census of Agriculture, released in 2024, Oregon lost 2,069 farms and 667,000 acres over the five years since 2017, while Lane County saw farm sales decline by more than 25%.
“Education about our food system in general is lacking, so it’s hard for people to get into these businesses when they don’t even know it’s an option,” McLernon added. “Not many schools get to teach students dairy farming, and there are so many jobs in the livestock industry that you don’t see on a normal career list at schools.”
Seeing a gap in agricultural education among youths and inspired by examples of collaboration among Extension programs in other states, faculty and staff from the Small Farms and 4-H programs decided to work together for the first time in Lane County.
Sparking curiosity
Gangwer designed a lunchtime panel that brought in professionals representing different paths in the food supply chain and agriculture to share their experiences. Panelists included Kris Elliott, OSU vice provost for Extension and engagement and director of OSU Extension, along with a veterinarian, a veterinary technician, a local farmer and an animal feed specialist.
“We want to spark kids’ curiosity about the livestock industry and expose them to a wide variety of careers they could look up to, whether they require education or hands-on training,” Gangwer said.
Xavier Luis, a 13-year-old from Lowell, came to the event because he wants to be a goat farmer. His family farm is home to sheep, goats, chickens, dogs and cats.
“I’m here to learn about what I need to do and the steps I need to take,” he said.
Some kids came hoping to learn skills to care for their own animals, including 15-year-old Jenna Fery of Cottage Grove. She said she isn’t sure what career she wants to pursue, but she knows she wants to work with animals or children.
“I’ve given vaccines before to my animals, but it’s helpful to learn about how different animals receive different vaccines in the workshop today,” Jenna said. “I’m interested in learning more about the different things that go on in the agriculture business.”
More than just farming
Being a farmer isn’t the only way to get involved in agriculture and livestock. Melissa Fery, a faculty member with the OSU Extension Small Farms Program, said meat processing is one area struggling to draw young people’s interest.
“In Oregon, people are really good about raising livestock,” Fery said. “But we do need that processing part as well.”
She pointed out that meat processing isn’t limited to slaughtering and harvesting; it can also include marketing and e-commerce for local products. Many farmers she has worked with struggle to build websites or reach more customers, and they want to hire people with backgrounds in computer science or marketing to help.
“It’s great exposure for youths to have people who are knowledgeable in their field and willing to share their experience,” Fery said. “Maybe they’ll be like, ‘Oh, I was interested in being a vet assistant,’ and reflect back on some good skills they learned today.”
The event attracted 32 young people from the county. Fery and Gangwer said they plan to bring it back next year to expand its reach and let youths hear from a wider range of professionals.
At the panel, McLernon suggested that youths considering getting into livestock start slowly and look at the foods they enjoy eating to spark interest.
“I like dairy and cheese, so I got into raising goats,” she said. “Raising things that you or your community like to eat, because food security is a big problem, and there’s a lot of call for locally produced food.”
“It’s very rewarding to be a farmer; it’s so worth it,” she added. “It’s long hours and exhausting, but at the end of the day, look, I have happy, healthy goats, cheese and milk.”
Visit the OSU Extension Service Lane County 4-H website to learn more about programs and upcoming events near you.
