Brown County 4-H announces new enrollment process, fair rules and fall deadlines

Brown County 4-H families are preparing for the 2026–2027 program year under a new enrollment system that requires an additional step after payment, while exhibitors face revised validation, membership and entry requirements for the 2027 Brown County Youth Fair.

The enrollment system is now live, according to the Brown County AgriLife Extension newsletter published Sept. 3. Families should be aware that paying the enrollment fee does not finish the process. After payment, users must return to the dashboard and look beneath each member’s profile for a yellow notification stating that a project must be selected before the profile can be submitted for review.

Members may select as many as 10 projects. For each selected project, the enrollment instructions say families must choose “Program Participant.” Once the projects are selected, the member’s profile can be submitted through the dashboard. The Extension Office will then be able to access and approve the enrollment.

The system officially launched Monday morning before the newsletter was published, and the office said families and staff were still learning its features. The newsletter described the new website as user-friendly and encouraged families to contact the office if they need assistance.

Enrollment timing and September schedule

Incoming third graders have a separate timing requirement. They must wait until Sept. 1 to enroll. If they enroll earlier, the system will classify them as Clover Kids rather than placing them in the appropriate 4-H enrollment category.

The September calendar includes several club and county activities. The Rabbit Club is scheduled to meet from 2 to 4 p.m. Sept. 13 at the Extension Office, followed by a Cen-Tex 4-H Club meeting at 5:30 p.m. at the same location. The Brookesmith 4-H Club is scheduled to meet at 4 p.m. Sept. 20.

The Extension Office is located at 605 Fisk Avenue in Brownwood. Its listed hours are 8:30 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 8:30 a.m. to noon Friday. The office is scheduled to close Sept. 7 for Labor Day.

Livestock deadlines and validation requirements

Families preparing livestock should track several dates. State swine tags for the current 4-H year are due Sept. 22, 2026. Orders may be placed through the link included in the 4-H newsletter, and questions may be directed to Nick Gonzales or the Brown County Extension Office at 325-646-0386.

Lamb and goat validation is scheduled for Oct. 24 from 8 to 10 a.m. at the Brown County Youth Fair Barns. The newsletter states that there will be no county validation makeup day, so animals intended for the Brown County Youth Fair must be present during the scheduled validation. Exhibitors must also be enrolled in 4-H before the validation date.

The 2027 Brown County Youth Fair will require state validation for all animals entered in the fair, including both market and breeding animals. The stated exceptions are registered breeding heifers and pee-wee-only animals. The fair will no longer use county-only validation, except for pee-wee-only animals.

The newsletter lists Oct. 24 as the lamb and goat validation date and Nov. 14 as the swine validation date. It gives Aug. 24 as the sheep and goat state-tag order deadline. The swine tag-order deadline in the section covering the 2027 fair is listed as to be determined, creating a distinction between the Sept. 22 deadline announced for the current program year and the later fair-specific information.

Additional fair changes affect the number of animals exhibitors may enter and the paperwork they must complete. Each exhibitor will be limited to a maximum of three animals per division. Every exhibitor entered in the fair must have an individual membership; exhibitors will no longer be covered under a family membership or umbrella. Each exhibitor or entry form will also include a $10 processing fee.

The Extension Office urged families to pay close attention to tag deadlines and validation requirements. Missing a state-validation order deadline may make an animal ineligible to show at the 2027 Brown County Youth Fair.

Participation points and recognition

Brown County 4-H is also introducing a new Participation Point System for the 2026–2027 year. The program is intended to recognize involvement beyond contests or livestock showing, including participation, leadership development, community service and trying new activities.

Members can earn points through approved 4-H activities such as club and county meetings, project workshops, contests, community service projects, leadership activities, camps and other 4-H opportunities. A QR code will be available at 4-H-sponsored activities. Members are responsible for scanning the code, completing the participation form and checking in before leaving the event.

After a submission is reviewed and approved, the points will be added to the member’s total. Members will be able to follow their progress within the Junior, Intermediate or Senior age division. The recognition levels are Bronze, Silver, Gold and Emerald.

Community service opportunities

The County Council is scheduled to help with the United Way Golf Tournament on Sept. 11 at the Brownwood Country Club. The service period is expected to run approximately from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., although the specific jobs available had not been determined when the newsletter was published. Members interested in helping were asked to contact the Extension Office at 325-646-0386.

For the One Day 4-H community service project, members will help with Light Up Lake Brownwood on Oct. 10. The floating lantern event benefits United Way and will give Brown County 4-H members an opportunity to participate in a community-wide fundraiser. Additional information about the service schedule, responsibilities and participation arrangements is expected later.

Quality Counts requirements

Quality Counts enrollment is open for youth who need to complete the course for the first time or renew their verification. The course is required for all major livestock show entries, and exhibitors must complete it before entry deadlines. Some county and local shows also require the course, so families were advised to check the rules for each show.

Youth complete Quality Counts once per grade division: Junior covers grades 3–5, Intermediate covers grades 6–8, and Senior covers grades 9–12. Families needing help with the course or requesting an instructional video can contact the Extension Office at 325-646-0386 or Rachel Howell at [email protected].

Questions about enrollment, livestock validation, fair requirements or participation opportunities may be directed to the Brown County Extension Office. The newsletter identifies Nick Gonzales as the county 4-H extension agent, Courtney Parrott as the family and community health extension agent, and Rachel Howell as office manager.