OKEECHOBEE — Okeechobee County children and adults will have opportunities to learn about local agriculture in January.

At their Dec. 5 meeting, Okeechobee County Commissioners approved a fee waiver request of $3,116.91 from Lauren Butler, representing the Okeechobee Agventure, to host the Agventure 2025 educational event within the covered arena at the Agri-Civic Center on Jan. 7, 8, & 9, 2025.

Programs for the school children will take place on Wednesday, Jan. 8, and Thursday Jan. 9, 2025, from 8 a.m. until noon. Cleanup will take place on the afternoon of Jan. 9.

Okeechobee Agventure, Inc., is a local organization that offers a free program to Okeechobee area fourth graders (public, private and home schooled), which provides a great opportunity to gain experience as well as to understand and appreciate our local agricultural industry. Station topics include beef, dairy, vegetables, aquaculture, citrus, poultry, and apiculture.

This program is free to all fourth graders and is planned and executed by volunteers. More than 500 children attended the last Agventure.

Agventure has been held at the Agri-Civic Center since 2014, with the exception of 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In other business at their Dec. 5 meeting, the board also approved a fee waiver request in the amount of $2,533.23 to allow the Florida Cattlemen's Institute & Allied Trade Show, to host the 2025 Florida Cattlemen's Institute & Allied Trade Show at the Okeechobee Agri-Civic Center on Thursday, Jan. 23, 2025.

The Florida Cattlemen's Institute and Allied Trade Show was established in 1982 to create the opportunity for Florida Cattlemen to attend a trade show and educational program specific to the beef cattle industry. The program format features 50 trade show vendors from all across the southeastern United States coupled with a themed educational program.

Educational programs usually consist of at least four speakers from across the nation, and themes vary from cattle marketing to pasture maintenance and everything in between. The program also recognizes one individual from the industry who has supported the program.

In the past, this event has been held at the Kissimmee Valley Livestock Arena, the Turner Center in Arcadia, and the Highlands County Fairgrounds. In recent years attendance has declined, so it is hoped that by moving the show to Okeechobee, the heartland of the Florida cattle industry, interest in the program will be rejuvenated and attendance will increase.

The benefit to the Okeechobee area will be from the economic impact of hotel stays, restaurant visits, and retail sales.

County Administrator Deborah Manzo recommended approval of the fee waiver for the show due to the benefit of the economic impact to the businesses of Okeechobee, and the recognition brought to the Okeechobee area as the heartland of the beef cattle industry in Florida.