Swine carcass registration for the 2012 Berrien County Youth Fair is under way and registrations must be received at the fair office by Thursday.

Exhibitors must be at least 13 years old, as of Jan. 1, to show in the swine carcass class at the 2012 fair, and must register in a market swine class at that time. Exhibitors may register their animals by picking up a form at the fair office.

Completed registration forms may be: dropped off at the fair office (Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.); mailed to the fair office on or before Thursday (Berrien County Youth Fair, P.O. Box 7, Berrien Springs, MI 49103); faxed to the fair office (269-473-4203); or placed in the drop box located near the entrance to the fair office.

Information necessary to register a swine project includes name of exhibitor, exhibitor number, address, telephone number, address where animal is housed, department, division and class number and gender of hog. There will be no sharing of hogs allowed. Each swine carcass exhibitor must register at least one, or up to three market hogs, but only two animals may be exhibited at the 2012 Berrien County Youth Fair Aug. 13-18. For more information, go to www.bcyf.org.

In addition, the Berrien County Youth Fair would like to remind animal exhibitors of the reinstatement of 5-year-olds in all animal classes. All 5-year-olds are now able to show any animal at the fair and receive applicable premiums. This is a change from the past few years where only a few livestock departments allowed 5-year-olds to show animals for ribbons only, no premiums. Still exhibit rules are unchanged, 5-year-olds will continue to enter and receive premiums as in the past.

Families should refer to the 2012 Exhibitor Handbooks, available after May 1, or contact the fair office.