Exposure to agriculture and people in the industry is key to increasing involvement in urban areas. However, livestock may seem like a low-priority project for urban youth in places where asphalt is more prevalent than farm fields. And while there’s a plethora of other exceptional projects that these organizations offer outside of raising animals for food, youth in urban areas can still experience the thrill and satisfaction that go hand-in-hand with raising and exhibiting livestock – just on a smaller, more economical scale.

In modern broiler (meat chicken) houses, the smallest difference can make a huge impact on the rate of gain, so poultry farming is quite high tech.

Chrysta Beck didn’t grow up on a farm, but it was through 4-H, the American Star in Agriscience winner first developed a passion for poultry.