46th Annual 4-H Agribusiness Career Conference (ABC Trip)           

Forty youth from across NYS met in Cobleskill October 19 & 20 for the 46^th annual 4-H Agribusiness Career Conference (ABC Trip).

This trip for 4-H teens is in collaboration with SUNY Cobleskill and gives youth an up-close look at different agri-businesses as well as an opportunity to tour the college and meet with professors to learn what a college experience in their desired program area would look like.

Youth were able to choose which agri-businesses they toured on Thursday.

Participating businesses included: Schoharie Valley Farms, Sweet Tree Farm, Hessian Hill Farm, Jack Miller’s Tractor and Truck, Fairbanks Stable, and Black Willow Pond Farm.  On the SUNY Cobleskill campus, tour options included Speaking with A Veterinarian, The Dairy Processing Center, the Meat Processing Lab and the Milk Quality Lab.  Following their tours, teens worked together to create presentations to share with the rest of the group following a dinner on campus.

Friday was spent on campus starting with breakfast in the dining hall followed by campus tours led by SUNY Cobleskill Ambassadors.  Following the tours, teens visited their academic area of interest which allowed them to meet with professors in that field and learn about the program area.  Areas to choose from included Ag Business, Floriculture/Nursery Management, Equine Studies, Biotechnology, Ag Engineering, Livestock, Canine, Dairy, Fisheries & Wildlife, Histotechnology, and Ag Communications.

The event culminated with lunch in the dining hall giving participants another opportunity to experience the food on campus. The ABC Trip is offered each fall to NYS 4-H members 14 years of age and older. For more information on this trip and other 4-H offerings, contact Cornell Cooperative Extension of Herkimer County at 315-866-7920 or jlr34@cornell.edu.