SIDNEY — CME Group and the National 4-H Council partnered to create the Commodity Carnival, a program designed to increase public understanding of the value of agricultural commodities, highlight what it takes to manage business risks when taking commodities to market and improve agriculture literacy across the nation. The Commodity Carnival will appear at over 100 state and county fairs across 9 Midwestern states during the summer and fall of 2019. The Shelby County Fair has been selected to participate in the 2019 4-H Commodity Carnival Program this summer.

The Commodity Carnival consists of three activities that guide participants through the process of producing and selling livestock: grow your livestock, sell your livestock and win a ribbon. This year, participants will have the opportunity to grow and sell a steer at market with a fun and educational game. The Shelby County Junior Fair Board and 4-H Extension volunteers will have a booth set up during this year’s Shelby County Fair, July 21-27. The booth will be open from 3 to 5 p.m. outside of the Community Hall on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday as well as Thursday at the Youth Building from 10 a.m. to noon. Fairgoers of all ages are invited to stop by and check out the game.

This experience is also available beyond the fairgrounds, through Commodity Carnival’s “Risk Ranch” app that is available for download on smartphones.

Visit cmegroup.com/4HCarnival to learn more and view the 2019 fair schedule.

For more information about the Commodity Carnival program at the Shelby County Fair, contact Cassie Dietrich or Summer McLain at 937-498-7243.