(TRENTON) – Kerri McBride of Medford has been chosen as the 2017 New Jersey Agricultural Fair Ambassador. The 17-year-old home-schooled 12^th grader was selected from among six contestants by the Agricultural Fair Association of New Jersey during the group’s fall dinner on November 6 in Eastampton.

 As ambassador, McBride is charged with visiting the state’s agricultural fairs in 2017, discussing the fairs, promoting agri-tourism to the public and bringing people together to support the state’s agriculture industry.

 “Based on Kerri’s enthusiasm and passion for agriculture, we know she will be a wonderful spokesperson as she attends our state’s agricultural fairs next summer,” New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Douglas H. Fisher said. “Kerri’s dedication is sure to inspire other young people to get involved in agricultural youth organizations and perhaps move into agriculture careers in the future.”

 McBride is currently a member of 4-H Clogging, the 4-H Player’s Club, is a 4-H food and fitness ambassador for Burlington County and conducts research projects which she presents at the Delaware Valley Science Fair each year. She is also a Junior Statesman of America member, is the Burlington County Farm Fair queen and has been a volunteer at Drexel University’s environmental engineering lab.

 “I am so honored to be the fair ambassador and to reach out to everyone in New Jersey, whether they live on a farm or not and to show them the importance of agriculture and why we need it and why it’s vital to each and every one of us,” McBride said. “I think I represent a large portion of people who are interested in agriculture, but don’t necessarily live on a farm.”

 McBride has plans to major in biomedical engineering in college with the goal of pursuing research in that area.

 This is the 14th year the Agricultural Fair Association of New Jersey has named an ambassador. In choosing an ambassador, the Association seeks a good representation of young people active in agriculture in the Garden State and their county fair.

 There were 20 agricultural fairs in the state this past summer, including the New Jersey State Fair at the Sussex County Fairgrounds. The earliest fair is held in June, with the final fair of the season in early October.

 For more information on New Jersey’s agricultural fairs, visit http://www.njagfairs.com/.

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 To learn more about the New Jersey Department of Agriculture, find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/NJDeptofAgriculture and www.facebook.com/JerseyFreshOfficial or Twitter @NJDA1 and @JerseyFreshNJDA.