shop online at www.missourivalleyshopper.com August, 9, 2016 • Page 9 Peer to Peer Mentoring During iLead 2016 Mary Fouss-Dickson’s 12-year-old daughter, Christina has Down syndrome. Since birth, Fouss-Dickson has worked to ensure Chrissy has the same opportunities as her peers. “All the time I hear that Chrissy can’t do or can’t make it. But she has feelings too. I encourage people not to limit down syndrome kids,” she explains. During the recent iLead program, Fouss-Dickson was not let down. Hosted by SDSU Extension 4-H Youth Programming, Chrissy was among 11 other youth with disabilities who worked with a pair of peers, show buddies, to learn how to show a sheep, pig or goat and then participate in a livestock show. “It was awesome. This event gave kids with Down syndrome and other disabili- ties a chance to do something everyone else gets to do. It made me feel good,” Fouss-Dickson said of the event held in Mitchell. “iLead is dedicated to the vision that agriculture is for everyone and all should have the opportunity to learn, grow and advocate for the industry,” says Amber Erickson, SDSU Extension 4-H Youth Program Advisor - Davison and Hanson Counties. Erickson, together with Audra Scheel, SDSU Extension 4-H Youth Program Advisor - Sanborn, Aurora & Jerauld/Buffalo Counties and 40 youth and adult volunteers launched the event in mid-July. “I sure hope this experience will lead youth to join 4-H and that it opened the eyes, not only of the parents, but of community members that although she was a bit nervous to be a show buddy before the event, the minute she met Chrissy, she knew things would go well. “Chrissy was really nice and so was her family. I wanted her to be able to experience what I have gotten to experience through my 4-H experience,” Zens explains. “It felt really good to be part of something that treats everyone the same.” Through 4-H, Zens has gained many life skills sewing, painting, showing livestock - but what she feels will serve her best into the future is the confidence she has gained as well as the ability to speak in front of groups. This summer she was the MC for the Hanson County Fashion Review. With college looming in her near future, Zens says that her 4-H experience has also given her some ideas about her future career. “I want to do something that helps people. In 4-H we do a lot of volunteering and helping people - just like this iLead day.” This won’t be Chrissy’s last 4-H experience if FoussDickson can help it. In Chrissy’s words, “It was awesome. I got to show a goat and I loved it.” To learn more about this and other 4-H programs, contact your local SDSU Extension 4-H Youth Program Advisor or by visiting iGrow. that 4-H is for everyone,” Erickson explained. Inspired by a similar event held in Texas, Erickson and Scheel set to work partnering with area 4-H and FFA members and volunteers. The idea was to provide youth with disabilities an opportunity to experience a livestock show and be taught by their peers. Each youth with disabilities was paired with experienced 4-H or FFA members with prior livestock showing experience. “iLead is really about allowing all youth opportunity to further develop their life skills through experiential learning. As show buddies, the 4-H and FFA members were put in leadership roles, allowing them to practice their leadership skills and build a mentorship connection with the participants,” Erickson explains. “I was impressed by how responsible the show buddies were - not only providing a positive environment where all participants could have fun and learn, but making sure that participants were safe.” Tessa Zens, 16, would agree. A junior at Hanson High School, Zens has been involved in 4-H since the fourth grade. She says 2004 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited 13,995 $ 26,995 $ #A35431 2012 Ford F-250 Crew Cab Lariat $ 2011 Honda CR-V Leather, 13K RENTALS 14,995 #C62439 12,995 $ 2014 Dodge Journey AWD #251558 11,995 $ #042662 2014 Ford F-150 Crew Lariat 4x4 2013 Ford F-150 Crew Platinum 4x4 20,995 $ 2003 Ford F-150 Crew Cab Lariat 4x4 Blue, 2.5L 4 Cyl, AT $ #375525 38,995 $ #A23787 2014 Chevy Cruze LT2 REAL ESTATE Silver, 4x4, 5.4L V8, AT Diesel, 54K Loaded 25,995 2005 Ford F-150 Crew XLT 26K, Roof, NAV, DVD, Black 26K,?Roof,?NAV,?DVD,?Black 2014 Ford Escape Titanium AWD #B96517 BROOKINGS, S.D. - Many livestock producers may be facing forage shortages due to dry conditions this growing season. The Agriculture Act of 2014, most commonly known as the 2014 Farm Bill, includes a program designed to assist livestock producers facing extended drought conditions. A United States Department of Agriculture program, administered by the Farm Service Agency (USDA-FSA), the Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) is available to eligible producers facing grazing losses due to drought or fire. Producers will need to contact their USDA-FSA office to request assistance from this program. To Qualify for Livestock Forage Disaster Programs: * A producer must own, lease or contract feed any of the covered classes of livestock during the 60 calendar days prior to the qualifying drought or fire occurrence, * A producer must provide pasture or grazing land in the qualified county or have been prohibited from grazing federally managed rangeland due to a qualifying fire occurrence, * A producer must certify grazing losses have occurred due to the qualifying drought or fire occurrence, * A producer must file form CCC-853 for all grazing acres that qualify due to forage losses due to drought or fire by the deadline. Qualified livestock include: beef, dairy, buffalo, sheep, goats, deer, equine, swine, elk, poultry, reindeer, alpacas, emus and llamas. Farm Service Agency determined the monthly payment rate as equal to 60 percent of the lesser of either the monthly feed cost for all covered livestock owned or leased by the producer or calculated from the normal carrying capacity of the eligible acres. For 2016, the monthly payment rate for adult beef bulls and cows is $32.36, beef non-adult animals weighing 500 pounds or more is $24.27 and the all sheep rate is $8.09. The Farm Service Agency LFP fact sheet, located on the FSA website, contains a full list of the rates for eligible livestock. Further, the number of weeks a county is designated as a D2, D3 or D4 drought per the U.S Drought Monitor determines the number of months of feed assistance that can be received by the producer Based on the drought criteria, as of July 21, 2016, six South Dakota counties are eligible for payments through Livestock Forage Disaster Programs. Producers that have reduced herd size due to the drought need to contact their FSA office regarding special provisions in the program for those animals. While a small percentage of South Dakota counties currently qualify for assistance through Livestock Forage Disaster Programs, producers can monitor future county designations and access the program by working with county Farm Service Agency offices across the state. niGrow 2013 Ford Edge Sport FWD Yellow, 4.0L V6, AT Yellow,?4.0L?V6,?AT #802803 Feed Assistance for S.D. Livestock Producers #B13905 11,995 $ 2011 Ford Edge SEL FWD AUTOMOTIVE EMPLOYMENT MERCHANDISE COUPONS the Missouri Valley Shopper and missourivalleyshopper.com is your complete source for buying and selling. Everything you need is just a click or call away! Place an ad today by calling 605.665.5584 MV Shopper Loaded Loaded, 15K #39223X 39,995 $ 29,995 $ #A79744 2013 Ford Explorer XLT 2013 Toyota Corolla 4x4, Leather #A67278 23,995 $ 37k Silver #099968 12,995 $ #B11256 17,995 $ 2013 Keystone Sprinter 5th wheel Front Living Room, Free Standing Dinette, 3 Slides- Clean #532966 28,995 $ MOODY MOTOR CO. 1-800-745-5650 Niobrara, Nebraska Business? Phone?402-857-3711?•?1-800-745-5650 www.moodymotor.com OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK M I S S O U R I VA L L E Y MATT MOODY ALAN KEMP MATT SCHAA PAT HAWK Monday thru Friday: 8:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. Saturday: 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. • Sunday: Noon - 4:00 p.m.