(Le Mars) — Next Sunday, the Iowa 4-H Foundation will recognize those people to be inducted into the State 4-H Hall of Fame during a ceremony to be held inside the newly renovated 4-H Exhibit Hall at the Iowa State Fairgrounds. This year’s Plymouth County 4-H Hall of Fame inductee will be Joe Rotta of Merrill. Rotta has been active with the 4-H swine show, and has assisted with the “Adopt A Pig” program.
Rotta says the 4-H members involved in the “Adopt A Pig” program usually first visit the hog farms and select their pigs when the pigs are at a feeder pig stage.
The Plymouth County pork producer says the program also involves some record keeping on behalf of the 4-H participant member.
Rotta says through the “Adopt A Pig” program, the pork producer retains ownership of the pig. Rotta also helps with the 4-H swine program by being a swine superintendent at the Plymouth County Fair. He assists with the weighing of the fair pigs, registration, and setting up the pens and gates, and assists with the swine show. Although Rotta himself was never involved in the 4-H program as a youngster, he has lived through the program with his three children, who were active members of the Plymouth County 4-H program.
Rotta says he is appreciative of the nomination for induction into the state 4-H Hall of Fame, but adds others may be more deserving of the honor. He says he gets a lot of enjoyment of seeing the 4-H members grow and learn through their projects, and that is why he volunteers his time for the Plymouth County 4-H program.
