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  2020-06-13

  Virtual Colusa County Fair Junior Livestock Auction

  On June 6, 2020, the California Department of Food and Agriculture informed the Board of Directors of the Colusa County Fair that an in-person junior livestock sale would be prohibited to combat the spread of COVID-19. As a result, local students who raised livestock with 4-H and FFA were left with little choice but to participate in a virtual auction hosted by EZ2Bid. For students who were unable to care for their livestock at home and relied on school facilities, raising animals quickly became difficult as campuses closed. Having already purchased their livestock well before the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States, local students had to adapt to the shifting climate to avoid losing thousands of dollars in invested time and money. In Colusa County, agriculture is an integral part of the educational experience that prepares students to succeed in the local economy. In an all-too-real scenario, students received an irreplaceable life lesson on the unexpected challenges faced by farmers and ranchers. While COVID-19 might have negatively impacted the education of K-12 students overall, there are some lessons that could not have been taught any other way.