WARREN COUNTY TEEN NAMED
2008 NJ AGRICULTURAL FAIR AMBASSADOR

Megan Kinney, an 18-year-old sophomore at Warren County Community College, was crowned the 2008 New Jersey Agricultural Fair Ambassador by the Agricultural Fair Association of New Jersey at their fall dinner meeting on November 4 in Freehold.

As ambassador, Kinney, a resident of Liberty Township, is charged with visiting the state’s agricultural fairs in 2008, discussing the fairs and promoting agritourism to the public, and bringing people together to support our state’s agriculture industry.

“I have grown up in an agricultural family where I have gained a deep passion for all agriculture and the environment around me,” Kinney wrote in her contest essay. “For me looking into the future of agriculture, it’s going to need our help. It needs people to open their eyes and see that without agriculture we have nothing. The future of agriculture is in our hands. It gives me a reason to fight, to stand strong by the things I believe in, to not give up on my dreams, to acknowledge my ancestors, to live today, remember yesterday and help build tomorrow.”

Kinney was the 2007 Warren County Fair Queen and Warren County Equestrian of the Year First Runner-up and has many awards from State 4-H and national youth horse shows. In 2006, she received the Most Outstanding 4-Her Award and was an Appaloosa Youth National Top 5 Finalist. In 2005, Kinney was the Warren County Equestrian of the Year and First Runner-up State Equestrian of the Year.

Kinney, an FFA member, is studying Agricultural Business Administration at Warren County Community College. She is a veterinary Technician at Garden State Veterinary Hospital in Hackettstown and works at Meadows Farm in Great Meadows caring for the horses. She has worked at LV Dairy Farm in Hampton, CK Sheep Farm in Great Meadows and was barn manager at Windsor Astoria in Allamuchy.

This is the fifth year the Agricultural Fair Association of New Jersey has crowned an ambassador. In choosing an ambassador, the Association seeks a good representation of young people active in agriculture in the Garden State and their county fair. Eight people competed for the position this year.

Selected First Runner-up in the competition was Nalyn Hetzell of Pittsgrove, Second Runner-up was Tyler Zeberl of Montague and Third Runner-up was Rebecca Geisenhoffer of Egg Harbor City.

There were 20 agricultural fairs in the state this past summer, including the New Jersey State Fair at the Sussex County Fairgrounds. The earliest fair is held at the end of May, with the final fair of the season in late August.

DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Biosecurity Recommendations for Fairs, Field Days, and Animal Exhibits...Go Here