Minneapolis (August 3, 2017) — http://z.umn.edu/4hpoultryprinceprincess —Minnesota 4-H poultry participants will have the opportunity to put their knowledge and industry experience to the test during the eighth annual Poultry Prince and Princess Contest, held at the Minnesota State Fair from August 24 through August 27, 2017. The scholarship program, put on by Minnesota 4-H and Gold’n Plump, recognizes the skills, leadership and confidence of the state’s top young poultry experts by awarding two participants with the Poultry Prince and Princess ambassador titles and scholarships of $1,000 each.

“We are continually impressed by the level of poultry knowledge and experience 4-H’ers bring to the program year after year. Their constant dedication to learning and sharing their expertise is very inspiring,” said Brad Rugg, director of 4-H Fairs and Animal Science Programs, University of Minnesota Extension Center for Youth Development. “The Poultry Prince and Princess is a unique opportunity for the participants, giving them not only a chance to publically compete and test their knowledge, but also share their passion for 4-H with the greater community.”

Winners are crowned based on their performance in three different events. Contestants must first compete in the 4-H Poultry Interview, Quiz and Showmanship competition. On the following day they will show off their cooking skills in the 4-H Chicken BBQ contest.

The six highest-scoring contestants (three male and three female) from the first two categories will be invited back to compete in the final round: Q&A Stage Presence.

WCCO-TV’s John Lauritsen continues his role as emcee for the live event taking place at the State Fair’s Sheep and Poultry Barn at 10:30 a.m. on August 27, 2017.

The 2017 winners will begin their roles as poultry ambassadors immediately following coronation with an appearance on the Minnesota 4-H float in the Minnesota State Fair parade. Winners will also receive:

• $1,000 academic scholarships
• Professional portraits from State Fair artist Ta-coumba Aiken
• Opportunities to develop networking and presentation skills through industry and media appearances

“The participants of the Poultry Prince and Princess scholarship program go on to become leaders in Minnesota’s poultry industry,” said Rory Bidinger, senior brand manager for Pilgrim’s, the company behind the Gold’n Plump brand. “Gold’n Plump is proud to continue this scholarship program to help support and reward 4-H youth for their passion and commitment to Minnesota agriculture.”

According to the USDA, the U.S. poultry industry is the world's largest producer and second-largest exporter of poultry meat. In 2016, Minnesota’s production of broiler chickens, eggs and turkeys was valued at more than $1 billion, offering more than 26,000 jobs. According to the USDA, annual U.S. chicken consumption per person rose to an estimated 91.6 pounds in 2016. By comparison, beef decreased to 50.8 pounds and pork increased to 57.1 pounds.

About Gold'n Plump^® Chicken | Good Chicken is Our Mission^®

Gold'n Plump^® is distributed nationally by Pilgrim’s Pride. The Gold’n Plump brand's good chicken mission centers on being truly all natural, highly trimmed and free of unwanted solution, skin and parts. The Gold'n Plump All Natural line also boasts attributes of No Antibiotics-Ever and American Humane Certified^TM farm program seal. To learn more about the Gold'n Plump brand and its products, as well as find great recipes, general cooking and safe handling tips and nutrition information, visit www.GoldnPlump.com. Find Gold’n Plump on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and YouTube.

About Extension 4-H

4-H empowers youth with skills to lead for a lifetime. 4-H is Minnesota’s largest youth development organization, growing leaders in every part of the state. Youth in 4-H collaborate with caring adults to explore hands-on projects in areas like science, health, agriculture, citizenship, and the arts. Mentors provide a positive environment where youth learn by doing. The 4-H experience is delivered by a community of more than 100 staff and 11,000 volunteers across Minnesota. Last year, 69,000 youth participated in Minnesota 4-H programs.

The 4-H experience grows leaders with life skills like confidence, independence, resilience and compassion. Youth in 4-H are 2x more likely to make healthy choices, 4x more likely to contribute to their communities and 2x more likely to be civically active. 4-H grows true leaders. Discover more at extension.umn.edu/youth/mn4-H. For the latest on 4-H, find us on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

Learn more about the 2017 Poultry Prince and Princess Contest online at http://z.umn.edu/4hpoultryprinceprincess and view photos of last year’s contest and portraits at Gold’n Plump’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/GoldnPlump.

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