Is 4-H fulfilling its original goal?

Early educational pioneers at US land grant universities started the 4H program to teach to young people what adults were not open to learning. That's according to Dean of Ohio State University's and Vice President for Agriculture Cathan Kress who spoke at a recent Farm Foundation Forum. She says kids were open to new ideas and once they started having success in their demonstration gardens the adults came along.

Now she says efforts must increase to teach students about Agri-science and research. She says modern land grant universities like Colorado State could create and expand models of workforce development. She says such programs could not only ensure young people become ready for work but could also lend themselves to college credit or other ag related credentials.

Kress says over time 4H went from being the first class in agriculture sciences at a land grant university to being more of a club.

While Colorado 4H does offer programs in robotics, sport shooting, and ceramics, state chapters do have foundational programs in sheep, poultry dairy, beef breeding as well as equine and veterinary science.