First Poultry Prince and Princess to Be Crowned at 2010 Minnesota State Fair

MINNEAPOLIS, Aug. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Minnesota 4-H and Gold'n Plump have teamed up to sponsor the first-ever Poultry Prince and Princess Contest at the 2010 Minnesota State Fair to recognize the knowledge, leadership and skills of Minnesota's youth in the poultry industry. Dozens of male and female teenagers statewide will vie for a chance to reign over the Minnesota chicken kingdom. The winners will receive $1,000 scholarships and serve as the state's first poultry ambassadors for one year.

The contest is open to Minnesota State Fair 4-H participants who have completed ninth grade or higher. The competition will run from August 26-31, 2010 and include:

• (Round 1) Aug. 26 Interview/Quiz/Showmanship, Poultry Barn – The contestants will be tested on their poultry knowledge, presentation and handling of their chickens and personal appearance.
• (Round 2) Aug. 28 Chicken Barbeque Contest, DNR Park – The contestants will be scored and timed on their ability to cook two chicken halves and their sanitation practices while prepping and cooking.
• (Round 3) Aug. 31 Q&A/Stage Presence, Gold'n Plump's Booth – The top three female and top three male contestants from rounds 1 and 2 will be invited to compete in round 3, where they will be asked to answer four category-specific questions with knowledge, confidence and personality. One question will even require clucking, walking or dancing like a chicken!

"The youth in Minnesota's $1 billion poultry industry often go unrecognized," said Rory Bidinger, brand communications manager for Gold'n Plump. "We're proud to be partnering with Minnesota 4-H to support these future leaders and the 26,000 jobs that depend on the Minnesota poultry industry."

Along with scholarships, the Poultry Prince and Princess will have the opportunity to expand their speaking, interview and presentation skills through a media coaching session and three to five industry and publicity appearances during their year-long terms.

"Minnesota 4-H attracts the participation of more than 100,000 youth, but only about 300 of them qualify for the State Fair poultry shows each year," said Brad Rugg, director of 4-H Fairs and Animal Science Programs, University of Minnesota Extension Center for Youth Development. "This is a fun and exciting way for two of our brightest youth to draw statewide attention for the poultry category."

At the fair, the Poultry Prince and Princess will celebrate their victories by participating in the Minnesota State Fair parade or enjoying a trolley ride. They'll also have their portraits painted, while in royal garb, by the official 2010 State Fair artist, Deborah Voyda Rogers.

The Poultry Prince and Princess Contest and Scholarship Program continues Gold'n Plump's efforts to draw public interest in Minnesota's poultry industry. It also complements the company's emphasis on raising chicken, treating employees and serving customers in a "gold'n good" way. Although the contest is in its first year, Gold'n Plump and Minnesota 4-H hope to garner enough excitement and participation to make the Poultry Prince and Princess Contest an annual event. Last year, the St. Cloud-based chicken company held a cluckeoke contest for fair attendees to "cluck" their favorite songs.

About Gold'n Plump Poultry

Based in St. Cloud, Minn., Gold'n Plump Poultry is a family-owned provider of quality chicken brands to retail, deli, foodservice, industrial, and export customers primarily throughout the Midwest. The company employs about 1,500 people and partners with more than 300 independent family farmers in Minnesota and Wisconsin to produce wholesome, high-quality chicken. For more information on its brands of poultry products, recipes, general cooking and safe handling tips and nutrition information, visit goldnplump.com and justbarechicken.com. Find us also on Facebook.

About Minnesota 4-H Extension Program

Minnesota 4-H is an after-school youth development program provided through the University of Minnesota Extension. The 4-H mission is to engage Minnesota youth in quality learning opportunities that enable them to shape and reach their full potential as active citizens in a global community. Last year, more than 123,000 kids throughout Minnesota participated in 4-H and learned invaluable life skills. According to a 2009 report from a Tufts University national study, 4-H youth are more than twice as likely to be civically active and make contributions to their communities, and are 47 percent less likely to have risky or problem behaviors.

To learn more, go to http://z.umn.edu/4hpoultryprinceprincess or the Gold'n Plump page on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Goldn-Plump/124107314267679.

SOURCE Gold’n Plump; Minnesota 4-H