Thank you, Grant County

If you were in attendance at the annual livestock auction at the Grant County Fair last week, the outpouring of support for agriculture and the rural way of life should have been enough to make you proud to live in the Columbia Basin.

Six sets of bleachers and the gaps between them were filled with bidders, buyers and spectators alike, supporting the 4-H and FFA exhibitors selling cattle, sheep, pigs, and more.

In a tough national economic situation, perennial champion sheep showman Jacob Barth set a new auction record by walking out of the sale ring with $37 a pound for his final Grant County Fair lamb.

It is that level of generosity and support that was pervasive during the auction.

Chuck Yarbro Auctioneers & Real Estate Services registered 375 bidders for this year's auction. Of those bidders, 126 purchased livestock, spending roughly $400,000. Bidders and buyers are business owners in the community, friends and neighbors.

By supporting 4-H and FFA exhibitors, buyers are supporting a way of life as intrinsic to the Columbia Basin as rocks and sagebrush.

If you speak with exhibitors, you learn that most have dreams of pursuing a life in agriculture, despite the long hours, low wages, and fluctuating commodities markets. If you observe 4-H and FFA members, you can see the rural way of life blossoming in the passion each one has for his chosen project.

In collecting an auction check, exhibitors are investing in their next project, college, a car, or another part of their dream. And the person who bought the animal made that dream possible.

Some checks were larger than others, just as some projects are more profitable than others, but when you get down to brass tacks, it isn't about the money.

It is about pride in doing something for yourself.Ê

4-H and FFA members make a commitment to learn about animal breeds, care, feed rates, and more during the course of any given livestock project. They are quizzed about their general knowledge during shows that can be taxing for even the most dedicated person. They are pushed and prodded to make sure they are following the right path for them.Ê

It is a huge responsibility for children ages 8 to 18 to grasp and yet most do.

Most exhibitors know they have made the best choice for themselves in showing a chicken, a duck, a pig, a steer or some combination of animals.

What auction buyers provide is a confirmation that an exhibitor has indeed made the right choice.

Buyers, whether they are individuals or members of a livestock boosters group, have an opportunity to see an exhibitor grow into a full-fledged member of the agricultural community right before their eyes.

By supporting 4-H and FFA exhibitors, buyers are supporting a generation, a way of life, a dream.

So, it is that support we applaud this week. We applaud the desire to see an exhibitor succeed and the belief in a way of life that can be seen around every corner locally.

- Editorial board