Our youth ... our future.

It has been my honor over the past few years to be a member of the National 4-H Council Board of Trustees. As a youth, I was very active in 4-H and I would venture a guess that many AgriMarketing readers were as well.

4-H has gone through many changes over the past decade because of the demographic changes that have been occurring. Now, in addition to continuing its traditional agricultural projects, it has also been active reaching into the metropolitan areas, providing science-based training and citizenship/leadership building programs.

At a recent meeting, I heard from one of its success stories. A young man told our group that he was one of eight being raised by his single mother in St. Louis. His home life was so chaotic, that he was having difficulty doing his homework.

He began attending the 4-H "After School" program that was being offered in his neighborhood. "My best friend starting teasing me about getting 'soft' and not hanging with the guys," he said. "Through my work with 4-H, I am now a junior at the University of Missouri studying agricultural engineering. Unfortunately, my best friend is in trouble with the law."

It is in all of our best interests to get ourselves and organizations involved in the youth group of our choice ... be it 4-H, FFA, Junior Achievement, or any other recognized group.

NEXT UP

AgriMarketing's on-going series continues next month with an in-depth look at Nitragin--leading provider of plant growth promoters and legume inoculants.

Lynn Henderson

Publisher