STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Young Mississippi 4-H leaders will tour six business cooperatives across the state, honing leadership skills in a July 21-23 conference.

Along with their adult leaders, the group includes 46 4-H Congress first-place winners, state 4-H Ambassadors and state 4-H Council officers. They will tour business cooperatives in Mayhew, Greenwood, Scott and Greenville before returning to Mississippi State University.

“The 4-H Cooperative Business Leadership Conference is an opportunity for some of our most talented 4-H members to participate in some engaging and educational experiences as they hone their leadership skills,” said Laura Lemons, cooperative tour coordinator and assistant professor of agricultural information sciences and agricultural leadership at MSU. “This is a fun opportunity for them to stretch themselves and learn new things.”

The young people will spend a day learning about the structure and goals of business cooperatives, and they will experience one firsthand by establishing and operating their own soft drink cooperative. Their tour will include an electric power cooperative, an agricultural marketing cooperative, an agricultural supply cooperative and an agricultural products and development company.

4-H is MSU Extension’s development program for 8- to 18-year-olds. Available in all 82 counties, 4-H offers programs and growth opportunities that put the heads, hearts, hands and health of Mississippi’s youngsters to work learning and applying the essential elements of the 4-H program: belonging, mastery, independence and generosity.