4-H Dairy Animal Leasing Program
Program Description and Rules
Program Description
The intent of the 4-H animal leasing program is to provide opportunities for 4-H livestock
or dairy project involvement to youth who:
— lack financial resources needed to purchase and care for an animal,
— lack facilities and equipment necessary to provide proper daily care for a large
animal, or
— are prevented from participating in project experiences requiring ownership and
daily care of a large animal due to circumstances beyond their control.
Breeding animals owned and housed by a sponsor are leased by 4-H members for the
project year. A schedule for sharing with the owner in the care and training for each
animal is developed and agreed upon. Four-H members do scheduled tasks and
participate in 4-H activities with the animals. Four-H members may exhibit leased
animals only at 4-H shows permitting showing of leased project animals.
Objectives
1. Youth unable to participate in 4-H animal projects requiring animal ownership and
complete responsibility for animal care will have the opportunity to participate in
breeding animal project experiences involving dairy cattle, beef cattle, sheep, goats,
or swine.
2. Youth will develop an appreciation for animal agriculture.
3. Four-H members will be provided with the opportunity to develop life skills in areas
including leadership, citizenship, communications, careers, personal and value
development, and relating to people.
4. Four-H members will be provided with the opportunity to develop skills and
knowledge related to animal sciences and the care, management, marketing, and use
of animals and their products.
Eligibility
A. Youth (lessees)
1. Youth must meet requirements for 4-H membership in Pennsylvania. For a youth to
be considered a 4-H member, he or she must :
a. be at least 8 years of age and must not have passed his or her 19th birthday
before January 1 of the current year.
b. be enrolled in one or more 4-H projects
c. have such enrollment recorded in the county extension office
d. not enroll in the same project in two or more counties or states.
2. The 4-H member must enroll in a 4-H project and file a copy of the project plan and
the written lease, if one exists, with the extension office in the county where the
member is enrolled by May 1 of the project year. A written lease is not required.
3. The member must be in good standing and follow club standards for attendance of the
4-H club in which the project is carried.
4. Four-H members who own animals may not lease project animals of the same
species.
B. Sponsors (owners or lessors)
1. Sponsors must have proof of ownership of the animals to be leased on or before the
date when the lease agreement is to take effect.
2. Owners who are not volunteer leaders and owners' employees and family members do
not need to complete the 4-H volunteer screening process. Sponsors (owners) who
will be advising 4-H members as volunteer 4-H leaders should be screened
volunteers approved by Penn State Cooperative Extension.
3. Parents or guardians are not permitted to lease animals to their children. Ownership
should be encouraged whenever possible. Siblings are not permitted to lease to each
other.
C. Animals
1. Title of ownership as stated on the registration certificate of the leased animal will
remain in the possession of the sponsor.
2. Cows may be leased and exhibited as project animals only if they were leased by the
4-H member during the project years when they were calves or yearlings.
Rules
A. General Rules
1. A project plan must be signed and filed for each animal leased.
2. A written lease is not required. If the parent or sponsor require a written lease, it must
be submitted to the county extension office for liability insurance approval before it is
signed. At least 30 days must be allowed for insurance approval. (See Section E.)
3. The approved project plan must be signed by the 4-H leader, sponsor, lessee, and
parent or legal guardian of the lessee and filed in the county extension office with the
written lease (if one exists) by May 1 of the project year.
4. The lease agreement will remain in effect until the end of the project year or until
terminated by either party. The lease agreement may be terminated prior to the end of
the project year for reasons such as:
a. failure of lessee or lessor to carry out responsibilities as outlined in the lease
agreement.
b. changes in the farming operation of the sponsor
5. The project plan must be reviewed by the leader, sponsor, and lessee prior to entering
the leased animal in a show to insure that responsibilities are being carried out by the
lessee. The leader and sponsor will sign the section on lessee compliance in the
project plan and a copy of the signed project plan will be sent to the county extension
office.
B. Responsibilities of 4-H Members
Four-H members leasing animals (lessees) must:
1. Complete responsibilities for animal care agreed upon between the 4-H member,
sponsor, and member's 4-H leader. It is recommended that the member assist with the
care of the animal at least one time per week.
2. Keep records of project plans, animals, activities, expenses and income in the
appropriate 4-H project record. The record must be turned in to the member's 4-H
leader for evaluation at the end of the project year.
3. Attend regularly scheduled 4-H meetings.
4. Participate in activities recommended for project completion.
5. Dairy animals are eligible to be exhibited at Pennsylvania Junior Dairy Show and its
qualifying district shows. The youth shows at some county fairs, the Pennsylvania
Farm Show, and some breed championship shows not 4-H shows. They are junior
shows with their own rules and regulations; therefore, leased animals are not eligible
to show at them. It is the responsibility of the 4-H member to consult show rules to
determine if he or she is eligible to participate in a particular show.
C. Responsibilities of Families of 4-H Members
Families of 4-H members leasing animals must:
1. Agree to transport or arrange for transportation of the 4-H member to perform feeding
and management chores for the leased animals on a pre-determined schedule. At least
once per week is recommended.
2. Let the owner have final say in all decisions about the maintenance, transportation,
and disposal of the animal.
3. Provide proof of liability insurance coverage.
4. Pay expenses incurred in exhibiting the animal(s), including veterinarian,
transportation, entree fees, and miscellaneous expenditures, as negotiated with the
owner (sponsor).
5. Pay expenses incurred as negotiated with the owner.
D. Responsibilities of Sponsors
Owners of leased animals (sponsors) must:
1. agree to make the animal available to the 4-H member (lessee) as negotiated for
project activities during the period of the lease agreement.
2. house and maintain the animal at his or her own farm facilities and pay routine
expenses associated with its housing, feeding, and maintenance.
3. provide proof of liability insurance coverage.
4. allow the 4-H member to keep any premiums or awards won while exhibiting the
animal during the duration of the contract.
5. not exhibit the animal. During the term of the lease, an animal should not be exhibited
by its owner.
E. Liability Insurance
Four-H members that lease an animal for a project are in the same position from a
liability standpoint as if they owned the animal. The parents and owners should have their
own liability insurance to provide coverage as if it was an owned animal. The 4-H
liability insurance is not twenty-four hour coverage. It is intended to cover 4-H activities,
such as club meetings or project activity. A Certificate of Insurance can be issued to show
coverage for a meeting or activity, but such certificate will not relieve the owner/lessor of
their liability. All contracts regarding leasing of animals must be approved by the 4-H
liability insurance company prior to signing to verify coverage. Even though the contract
is not signed by a 4-H volunteer, the court might impute coverage to 4-H by the language
of the contract or lease if the parent is construed to be operating under the 4-H program.
The Pennsylvania State University is committed to the policy that all persons shall have
equal access to programs, facilities, admission, and employment without regard to
personal characteristics not related to ability, performance, or qualifications as
determined by University policy or by state or federal authorities. The Pennsylvania State
University does not discriminate against any person because of age, ancestry, color,
disability or handicap, national origin, race, religious creed, sex, sexual orientation, or
veteran status. Direct all affirmative action inquiries to the Affirmative Action Office,
The Pennsylvania State University, 201 Willard Building, University Park, PA 16802-
2801.
Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension Work, Acts of Congress May 8 and June
30, 1914, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Pennsylvania
Legislature. L.F. Hood, Director of Cooperative Extension, The Pennsylvania State
University.
SOME of us don't have permission to view...
I'm also sorry your buthurts.
My butts always swollen :shrug:
:
