Organizers of the National 4-H Dairy Conference are looking for youth across the country to attend the 66th conference, set for Sept. 29 to Oct. 2 in Middleton.

“The National 4-H Dairy Conference was established as an educational effort on behalf of the 4-H dairy project,” explains Charlie Crave, conference volunteer from Crave Brothers Farm in Waterloo, Wis. “In 1955, Extension agents and dairy project volunteers throughout the country recognized that the need for quality dairy programming for youth in the dairy project was apparent. Organizers wanted high school-age 4-H’ers to learn more about dairy beyond showing cattle at the fair.”

The annual conference was originally held in Chicago and then was transferred to Madison once World Dairy Expo was established in 1967. Now the event is held at the Marriott Hotel in Middleton, Wis., during World Dairy Expo. About 160 youth from across the country and two Canadian provinces attend the event each year. The committee is comprised of Extension personnel and volunteers.

“I started as a chaperone in 1999,” says Crave, who has served as a volunteer ever since.

“We are looking for high school-age dairy youth, especially freshmen and sophomores, to attend who are eager to learn more about dairy,” Crave says. “They should contact their county Extension 4-H agent and 4-H club leaders for scholarships and funding to help pay the registration fee. A lot of counties and 4-H clubs have money available to support their dairy youth.”

SEVERAL TOURS: National 4-H Dairy Conference attendees will get an opportunity to tour Hoard’s Dairyman, Jones Dairy Farm, Crave Brothers Farm, two bull studs and World Dairy Expo.

The registration form is available online at national4Hdairyconference.org. The conference begins Sept. 29 and ends with a dance on the evening of Oct. 2.

“Dairy judging team members are allowed to attend the conference; however, you cannot show dairy cattle at World Dairy Expo and attend the conference,” Crave says.

The registration fee for 2024 is $650 per person. This includes lodging from Sept. 29 through Oct. 2. Checkout is Oct. 3. The cost includes meals and transportation during the conference. Additional nights may be reserved at the conference hotel on the registration form. Registration forms are due Sept. 15.

Program highlights

“We have some of the best motivational speakers and tours available for attendees,” Crave says. “I think we do a great job of balancing speakers, tours, free time and activities.”

Attendees will get an opportunity to tour the following:

“The conference is jampacked with the best the industry has to offer,” Crave says. “This goes way beyond showing cattle. It includes learning lifetime skills and developing lasting friendships.”