It is that time of year again, a time when farm families get very stressed, get very little sleep, and spend very little time at home. Yes, it is fair time – 4-H project season.

For many families, it is a tradition that goes back generations. For some, it is showing livestock; for others, it is poster projects, foods, or fashion review. But, for all, it is an experience they will always remember and that, in many cases, will impact the choices they make later in life.

For those not involved in 4-H, there is also something to be learned and that is why a visit to the county fair is so important this year.

The care of farm animals has been a controversial issue, making headlines in recent months. From proposition 2 in California to the puppy-breeding bill in Indiana to the animal-care board in Ohio, producers and consumers have been speaking out on this issue. Animal rights activists like to paint farmers as uncaring abusers of animals who are only concerned about making a buck. The reality is that most livestock owners care very much for their animals and see animal care as a key to profitability. The county fair is a great way to see that in action.

The problem is that many consumers never make it to the barns or the show arena. They never get off the midway or away from the deep-fried-food stands. This year a concerted effort is being made to get people to take a walk to the other side of the fairgrounds and see animal care in action. Indiana Farm Bureau has launched a media campaign called Champions of Animal Care. This statewide radio message encourages people to visit their county fair and visit the livestock exhibits.

The message stresses how the 4-H livestock experience helps set patterns of animal care that these young people use for a lifetime. Many of these 4-H youth will become the livestock producers of tomorrow. The campaign seeks to correctly position the livestock producer as the expert in animal care.

For too long, we have let the PETA and HSUS position themselves as the experts in animal care. In reality, these people are professional organizers, fundraisers, lobbyists and lawyers. They may own a dog or a cat but have little experience raising farm animals. Livestock producers, on the other hand, live with their animals and care for them daily.

Indiana Farm Bureau will dedicate its entire building at the Indiana State Fair to interactive educational displays about animal agriculture. Now it is our turn to do our part to get people to these education opportunities.

If you have some friends in town, invite them to go with you to your county fair. Introduce them to 4-H youth, walk them through the barns, and explain what they are seeing.

A wall full of champion ribbons is what most farm families hope to bring home from the fair. Yet, in time, the ribbons will fade, but the experiences had at the fair will not. Likewise, many consumers just might get a new perspective on animal care from a visit to the fair.

The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of Farm World.