Market Sale
BUYERS GUIDE
2023 MARKET SALE
THURSDAY, JULY 20, 2023
5:30PM
WELCOME!
- Any animal bought at the Washington County Ag Expo & Fair Youth Market Animal Sale comes highly recommended. Not only is every lamb, goat, steer, rabbit, and hog well–fed and raised by local 4–H and FFA members, it must also meet strict weight and health standards. In a word, it is prime.
- So for your company, this sale is an opportunity to buy choice meat for your annual employee picnic or to give as food for a local charity or to donate back to be sold to benefit 4–H & FFA programs. (Each are done by many local businesses and individuals every year.)
- The annual sale is held on the grounds of the Washington County Agricultural Education Center, seven miles south of Hagerstown on the Sharpsburg Pike. The event attracts more than 250 bidders and spectators drawn by the sights and sounds of Ag Expo & Fair.
- This year’s sale will be held on Thursday, July 20. The sale, which begins at 5:30p.m. and usually lasts several hours, is held under an open pavilion. Bidders can register as early as 12p.m. noon and pick up an official list of all the animals qualifying to be sold, their weights, and the names of their owners.
- In all, more than 200 animals will likely be sold. This year’s order of sale is: turkeys, rabbits, meat goats, lambs, dairy steers, swine, dairy goats and beef steers.
- Nervous about bidding? Let them know at the registration table which animal you’re interested in and a market sale official will be happy to help you. Ag Expo Champions and Reserve Champions always sell for more.
- A group of friends or co–workers can pool their resources to buy an entire animal and have plenty of meat in the freezer all year long.
- Instead of purchasing an animal you can simply add money to the purchase of a youths animal either as a whole dollar amount or an additional amount per pound. For example, adding a flat $50 to a youths purchase price or adding an additional $0.25/lb. to an animal.
- DONATE IT BACK. You can donate the animal to be resold later to benefit the Market Sale Committee Scholarship, a 4–H club or a FFA Chapter. The price you pay goes to the youth who raised the animal. AND, your entire cost is deductible as a charitable contribution.
- RESALE. You can arrange to have the animal resold at Four States Livestock Auction in Hagerstown. That way you get back the market price, less a commission, and the difference between market price and what you paid at the sale is your donation AND it is tax deductible.
- KEEP. You can keep the animal and have it processed to fill your freezer or for your company picnic. AND your cost over and above the current market price is deductible as a charitable contribution. You can also donate the animal as food for a local children’s home, food bank or other charity. In that case, your entire cost is tax deductible. Consult your tax advisor for your company’s tax liability.
PROCESSING
- Call a processor from the list below early to arrange processing—appointments are extremely limited.
- Hauling is provided free of charge to the following processors:
- Burgers: 301–573–1945
- Country Foods: 717–762–8406
- Hemp’s Meats: 301-472-5700
- Hoffman’s Meats: 301-739-2332
- Holsinger’s Meat Market: 301–733–9263
- Horst Meats (all slots filled)
- Leitersburg Butcher Shop: 301-491-9911
- Shuff’s Meat Market: 301-271-2231
- Three Springs Meat: 301–432–8632
WHAT TO EXPECT
Species |
Sold By |
Weight Range |
2022 Avg. Price |
Turkeys | Price per Turkey | 20+ lbs. | Not Sold in 2022 |
Rabbits | Price per Pen of 3 | 3.5-6.0 lbs. per Pen | $354 / pen of 3 |
Beef Steers | Price per Pound | 1000+ lbs. | $2.35 per pound |
Meat Goats | Price per Goat | 40-115 lbs. | $422.50 per Goat |
Lambs | Price per Pound | 90-150 lbs. | $4.43 per Pound |
Dairy Steers | Price per Pound | 1000+ lbs. | $1.87 per Pound |
Swine | Price per Pound | 220-295 lbs. | $4.13 per Pound |
Dairy Meat Goats | Price per Goat | 40-115 lbs. | $390.00 per Pound |
OKAY! I’M IN! NOW WHAT?
1) COME JULY 20 AND GET A BUYER NUMBER!
- Sign in at the registration trailer. Get a numbered card for each “name” – individual, business, or group – under which you plan to purchase.
2) PLACE YOUR BID!
- If you are the winner, show your card(s) to the ring person and your name or business will be announced to the crowd.
3) SOLD! – DONATING IT BACK IF YOU CHOSE.
- Please tell the ring person right away if you are donating the animal and to what organization it is to benefit. If donated back to a 4-H club, FFA Chapter, Ag Expo, or the Market Sale Committee, the animal will be resold at the end of the sale. All other resale animals will be sold at Four States Livestock Auction. Your gift will be announced to the crowd.
- Walk over to the photo area to have your picture taken with the youth, the animal, and the Ag Expo & Fair Queen. You’ll get a complimentary copy later.
- Let the registration trailer know where the animal is going.
SOLD! – FOOD FOR YOU OR YOUR COMPANY!
- Head over to the photo area to get your picture taken.
- Tell the registration trailer which of the local meat processors you want. Charges vary. Haulers will be at Ag Expo to transport animals to their appropriate destination. It will be processed according to your directions and the processor will contact you when the meat is ready to be picked up.
4) SETTLE YOUR BILL
- You can settle your bill at the registration trailer throughout any part of the sale. Acceptable methods of payment include: cash, check (with valid drivers license), and credit or debit card.
IT’S ONE OF THE BEST INVESTMENTS YOU CAN MAKE!
THANK YOU TO ALL OUR BIDDERS.
Whether yours is a winning bid or not, your participation is needed and very much appreciated
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Washington County Youth Market Sale Committee, Inc.
Terms of Sale
1. The Washington County Youth Market Sale Committee, Inc. named in this publication shall have complete jurisdiction over the sale and their decisions will be final in regard to matters or questions that may arise during the course of the sale.
2. The Washington County Youth Market Sale Committee Inc. agrees that all livestock offered in this market sale have been raised by local 4-H and FFA members and exhibited at the Washington County Agricultural Exposition and Fair.
3. All buyers must pre-register and receive a bidding number prior to auction.
4. By placing a bid, you agree to all the terms and conditions that apply to this auction.
5. All bids are final. The Washington County Youth Market Sale Committee, Inc. cannot retract or remove a bid.
6. All sales are final. Animals will be handled with care, but buyer assumes all responsibility.
7. Meat Rabbit Pens, Turkeys, Market Goats, and Dairy Market Goats will be sold by the head. Swine, Lambs, Beef Steers, and Dairy Steers will be sold by the pound.
8. Females sold through this sale are given no guarantee for reproduction.
9. Buyers may indicate at the time of purchase that they wish to “donate back” the purchased animal. Animals may be donated back to the seller or donated to any other person, organization, or entity. Animals donated back to any 4-H Club, FFA Chapter, the Washington County Youth Market Sale Committee, Inc., or the Washington County Ag Expo and Fair Board will be resold at the end of the auction. In this case, the buyer pays the full bid amount for the animal. The donated back buyer pays the donated back auction bid amount for the animal.
10. The “Add On” option allows buyers to make a monetary donation to an individual youth seller without actually buying the youths animal. This can be done in any increment. An “Add On” sheet is required to be completed by the buyer.
11. Buyers should expect to have their photo taken with the lot they purchase. Youth are expected to deliver their buyer photos to the buyer within the coming months following the sale.
12. Payments by Cash, good Check, Visa, Mastercard, and Discover are accepted. A 3% credit card fee will be added to each purchase if payment is made via credit card.
13. A $100 fee will be assessed for any declined payment and subsequent payments must be paid by certified funds only.
14. All purchases must be made in full the night of the sale unless arrangements for invoicing have been made ahead of time. Invoices must be paid in full within 30 days of purchase. If not, an annual finance charge of 24% will be charged. Legal fees incurred are the responsibility of the buyer.
15. Buyers are responsible for making their own livestock processing appointments (excluding turkeys).
16. The Washington County Youth Market Sale Committee, Inc. will provide transportation to Burgers, Country Foods, Hemps Meats, Hoffman’s Meats, Holsinger’s Meat Market, Horst Meats, Leitersburg Butcher Shop, Shuff’s Meat Market, Three Springs Meat, Four States Livestock, and Rufus Martin (turkeys only). Transportation and hauling to any other processor or facility is the responsibility of the buyer.
17. Buyers are responsible for all livestock processing fees incurred from processors.