In support of the youth in our state, Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation has traditionally purchased animals in the Dixie National Sale of Junior Champions. For the past several years, we have held a raffle for four packages of assorted cuts of meat from these animals.  In 2022, with the cooperative efforts of the county Farm Bureaus and the state staff, we raised just over $19,000 to benefit the Farm Families of Mississippi Ag Image campaign.  The Beef/Pork Raffle continues to be a successful fundraiser; therefore, we are gearing up for another year of fundraising.

I would like to challenge all county Farm Bureaus to sell at least two books of raffle tickets.  Each book contains 25 tickets at $5 each, totaling $125 per book. If all 82 counties could sell at least two books, we could raise just over $20,000.

Each county office will receive three books of raffle tickets, please share with your satellite offices.  Please send all money and sold tickets to Angela Thompson in the state office no later than Thursday, April 27, 2023. Any tickets received after that will not be included in the drawing, which will take place on April 28, 2023. Four raffle winners will be selected by random draw and each winner will receive assorted cuts of ¼ of a market steer and ½ of a market hog.  These prize packages will be delivered to the winners at no charge.

The 2023 Farm Families of Mississippi campaign marks our fourteenth year of telling the story of agriculture to the public on TV, radio, and billboards.  I hope you and your county will accept this challenge to promote agriculture to the public.

Thank you in advance for your help and support in this important campaign.