IFAA Sale of Champions sets records

     With a final swing of the gavel, the Iowa Foundation for Agricultural Advancement (IFAA) raised $352,600 for the 16 exhibitors of 4-H and FFA Grand and Reserve Champion livestock in the Sale of Champions Saturday at the 2017 Iowa State Fair.

     Three champion records were broken during the 2017 Sale.

     The Grand Champion FFA Market Hog stole the show bringing an all-time record for any species with $54,000, selling for $1,000 more than the record in 2016. The Grand Champion 4-H Meat Goat sold for $19,000 and the Grand Champion FFA Meat Goat sold for $16,000 which both set new record prices for each species.

     Participants in the Sale of Champions were asked to find hometown support. The purchaser in the auction paid the difference between local support and the final sale price. Each participant in the sale takes home a check for 75 percent of the animal's sale price. The IFAA keeps 25 percent to fund the scholarship program and cover Sale expenses. In addition to their earnings, the exhibitors of the Grand Champion 4-H Market Steer, Grand Champion 4-H Market Hog, Grand Champion FFA Market Lamb and Grand Champion 4-H Breeding Heifer earn the use of a new aluminum livestock trailer for one year. The Grand Champion 4-H and FFA Market Meat Goats receive aluminum toppers.

     In addition to the sale, the IFAA awarded $220,000 in scholarships as well as performance and carcass awards presented prior to the sale, for a total $574,600 for young livestock exhibitors. Since the inception of the Sale of Champions in 1988, the IFAA has given out more than $7.5 million through sale proceeds and scholarships to deserving youth participating in agricultural-related projects and interested in agricultural-related careers.