Peterson, McMorris Rodgers, Fortenberry, Cuellar establish 4-H Congressional Caucus

WASHINGTON-Today, Representatives Collin C. Peterson (D-MN), Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE) and Henry Cuellar (D-TX) announced the establishment of the 4-H Congressional Caucus in the 116th Congress.

4-H is America’s largest youth development organization, empowering young people through programs and experiences that develop critical life skills and preparing them for life today and a career tomorrow. Thousands of 4-H professionals and educators, as well as 500,000 volunteers serve nearly 6 million youth in every county in the United States.

“I was a 4-H kid myself in rural Minnesota, so I understand the importance of this organization,” said Peterson. “I look forward to growing this caucus, so we can help ensure the next generation of young leaders have access to 4-H experiences that will help them succeed.”

“I grew up selling my 4-H animals and working at my family’s orchard and fruit stand,”said McMorris Rodgers. “The skills and values I learned in 4-H were foundational and they me on a path for success. That’s why I’m proud to continue providing opportunities for the next generation as co-chair of the Congressional 4-H Caucus.”

“I owe a great deal to 4-H, which provided extraordinary opportunity and strong formation when I was young person. As a proud alum, I carry these experiences with me in my work in the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, and now in the 4-H Congressional Caucus. I am always delighted to see young people deepening their understanding of our civic culture through 4-H, which is essential to growing our farm family in Nebraska and across the U.S,” said Fortenberry.

“4-H provides extraordinary and innovative opportunities for kids across the United States to develop critical life skills and empower themselves to become the next leaders in agriculture, healthy living, STEM, and citizenship,” said Cuellar. “It is critical that we support the nearly six million young people who are driven to develop the skills to succeed in their future. I will continue to support youth development programs in rural, urban, suburban communities throughout America. I would like to thank Representatives Peterson, McMorris Rogers, and Fortenberry for being strong advocates for the organization.”

“For more than 100 years, 4-H has played a vital role in growing our nation’s next generation of leaders and innovators. As the youth development program of Cooperative Extension, 4-H provides hands-on learning experiences and economic opportunity for millions of young people,” said Jennifer Sirangelo, president and CEO, National 4-H Council. “We are grateful for our network of 4-H alumni and friends, including the distinguished members of Congress who are members of the 4-H Caucus and share personal stories of 4-H’s impact. Their support ensures life-changing 4-H experiences are available to young people in rural, urban and suburban communities throughout America.”

“On behalf of the 4-H Youth Development programs across 76 Land-Grant Universities, I am thrilled that Ag Leaders in the U.S. House of Representatives have chosen to create and lead the 4-H Caucus.” Said Ed Jones, Extension Director at Virginia Tech University and Chair of the Extension Committee on Organization and Policy. “Their on-going support for 4-H and Cooperative Extension is crucial in continuing these vital education programs that benefit millions of youth and their families and communities across the United States. We look forward on an on-going dialogue with the caucus in order to integrate their insights into continued evolution of our 4-H Youth Development Extension education programs.”