Things To Consider Before Taking A Swine Project

Think about how much space is required to house a market hog.  Do you have enough physical space and the proper shelter?  Are you aware of feed costs, and have you budgeted for them?  Are you prepared to invest the money and time involved in caring for, grooming, and walking a market hog to be ready for the fair? Are the youth and parent(s), guardian(s), or other adult helper(s) prepared to make the time and financial commitment?  Swine projects are very rewarding but can also be time-intensive and somewhat expensive.

2026 Swine Calendar of Events

• Enroll in 4-H through 4-H Online by April 1st (note: clubs may set an earlier deadline)
• April 7 Quality Assurance (QA) - 6 - 7 pm- Fisher Auditorium *Parent Info Night. See the Quality Assurance page for more details.
• April 11 Hammer Time Livestock Clinic-Check in: 9-10 am, Clinic and QA: 10 - 12:30 pm, registration required
• May 7 Quality Assurance (QA) - 6 - 7 pm- Fisher Auditorium *Parent Info Night. See the Quality Assurance page for more details.
• June 1 - Obtain and care for your project animal(s) on or before June 1st
• June 1 - Complete Animal ID for all possible animals (including family back-ups) that you could enter in the fair through 4-H Online on or before June 1st.  Help sheets are available at wayne.osu.edu/help
• June 1- All hogs must be tagged - tags available at the OSU Extension Office
• June 1 - Ohio State Fair Quality Assurance is due
• June 2 Quality Assurance (QA) - 6 - 7 pm Event Center, Wayne County Fairgrounds. See the Quality Assurance page for more details.
• June 9 Quality Assurance (QA) - 6 - 7 pm Event Center, Wayne County Fairgrounds. See the Quality Assurance page for more details.
• July 7 - Outstanding Market Exhibitor Exam - 5-9 pm, Wayne County Fairgrounds Event Center, See the Outstanding Exhibitor page for more information.
• July 8 - Skillathon - 6 - 9 pm Wayne County Fairgrounds Event Center​​​​​​. Check our Skillathon page for more information.
• July 9 - Skillathon - 6 - 9 pm Wayne County Fairgrounds Event Center​​​​​. Check our Skillathon page for more information.
• July 21 Last Chance Quality Assurance (QA) -  6 pm at Fisher Auditorium. $25 FEE
• July 29 - Wayne County Quality Assurance Training DUE.  See the Quality Assurance page for more details.
• August 1 - Jr. Fair Class Entries Due - Make all Junior Fair Class Entries by 11:59 pm at waynejrfair.fairentry.com
• August 4 OME/OBE Test- 5 - 9 pm at Wayne County Fairgrounds Event Center
• August 5 Skillathon - 6 - 9 pm at Wayne County Fairgrounds Event Center. Check our Skillathon page for more information.
• September 10 - Swine Fair Check-In / Weigh-In - 4:00 pm - 9:00 pm, Swine Barn
• September 11 - Swine Fair Check-In / Weigh-In - 8:00 am - 9:00 pm, Swine Barn
• September 14 - Swine Showmanship Show - 8:00 am - Event Center
• September 15 - Market Swine Show - 8:00 am - Event Center
• September 17 - Swine Auction - 8:30 am - Event Center

Swine Project Books

• The books listed below can be ordered through your 4-H club advisor, purchased directly from the Wayne County Extension Office, or ordered online at extensionpubs.osu.edu
• Swine Resource Handbook (134R) - Order only once and use for several years. Contains essential subject matter information for members taking a market hog or swine breeding project. This is an excellent resource for skillathons. Use with the 139 Market Hog Project and Record Book  
• Market Hog Project and Record Book (139) - Complete this required project book every year a market hog project is taken. Use with 134R Swine Resource Handbook. Includes revised Good Production Practices.

Swine Project Guidelines and Forms

• 2026 Wayne County 4-H Swine Project Guidelines - published annually, this document provides an overview of the most important things youth and parents should know about taking a dairy project, including important dates, deadlines, animal ID, and Junior Fair information.  This document is usually updated each November or December with information for the new year.
• 2026 Swine Bred, Born, and Raised Form - Due June 1
• Questions about swine projects can be directed to your club advisor, Diane Johnson at the Extension Office, or by contacting Swine Committee Chair Jody Bair.
• WCBBR Swine Breeder Application - If you wish to be a breeder for Wayne County Born, Bred, and Raised Swine, you must fill out and return this form to the OSU Extension office.

Swine Animal ID Requirements

2026 Swine Animal ID Help Sheet - overview of how to enter Swine Animal ID in 4-HOnline and lists which fields and forms are required and which are optional.

Swine Clinic / Educational Resources

• April 11 Clinic - Northwestern FFA Chapter Hammer Time Clinic 

Swine Outstanding Exhibitor Awards Program

• 2026 Outstanding Swine Exhibitor Award Criteria

Swine Outstanding Record Books

• The Outstanding Record Book Awards are designed to recognize youth who take time to thoroughly complete their record books, adding in details and financial, feed, and health records from throughout the entire project, including final market auction price and calculating their profit or loss for those taking market projects.  Youth wishing to have their record books judged should turn them in to the Extension Office by October 2, 2026.  Awards are presented at the Fall 4-H Recognition Banquet.
• Market Swine Outstanding Record Book Award Rubric

Swine Junior Fair Information

• Click here to visit our Wayne County Jr Fair page. 
• State Fair Premise ID Factsheet

Swine Committee

• The Wayne County 4-H / FFA / Jr. Fair Swine Action committee are volunteers who are responsible for planning, organizing, and carrying out the swine program in consultation with and under the authority of OSU Extension and the Wayne County Agricultural Society (Senior Fair Board)
• Our 2026 Swine Committee is made up of the following individuals: Jody Bair (Chair), Carl Way Jr.( Vice Chair), Brad Stull, MaKenzie Harmon, Emma West, Doug West, Sharla West, Time White, Jason Hastings, Frank Workinger, Michaela White, Lane Duplaga, Kaleb Badger, Riley Stull, Katie Wharton (JFB Advisor and FFA), Diane Johnson (OSU Extension), Mike Gerhart (Senior Fair Board) and Sean Donley (Senior Fair Board) and Junior Fair Board members Brielle Burchette, Chloe Durstine, Caleb Mairs, Dillon Ramsier, Lily Ramsier, Lyla ramsier, Brooklyn Tarleton, Luke Walenciak, Olivia Warren, and Austin West.

Wayne County 4-H Swine Facebook Group

Be sure to join our Wayne County 4-H SwineFacebook Group, where we share reminders, announcements, and other educational content related to the 4-H Swine program.  Check us out on Facebook at: https://go.osu.edu/facebookswinepage