BATON ROUGE — The Southern University Ag Center's 83rd annual Livestock and Poultry Show is next weekend. 

The show provides youth throughout Louisiana with the opportunity to learn about the processes behind livestock and poultry farming.

The Ag Center says that the show and its related programs teach leadership skills, character development and entrepreneurship skills to the youth who prepare year-round for competitions, noting that the show has contributed to the agricultural industry and economy of Louisiana.

The show's founder, J.W. Fisher, director of the College of Agriculture, started the show as a poultry show in 1943 before expanding to include a dairy calf project in its second year. 

Livestock Director Meguna Johnson and Director of Advancement Robert Easly visited WBRZ on Thursday to share more about this year's show.

The show is at the Maurice A. Edmond Arena and runs from Feb. 26 to Feb. 28.