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Advisory Board. Each fann family member is an active member of the Rowall Holstein Club. Pless Dairy was one of the first dairy fanns in North Carolina to use dairy futures options to minimize the financial risk due to adverse price changes. They began by purchasing several put options when milk prices had moved up significantly in 1999. When prices fell quite rapidly, the dairy netted $18,000.00 from these put options. Jerry shared the Dairy's experience in the use of futures and futures options with other dairy fanners at several educational meetings including the North Carolina Dairy Conference and a Clemson Dairy Extension meeting in Columbia, SC which was video taped for use at producer meetings. Pless Dairy has entered and displayed dairy cattle at the Cabarrus County Agricultural Fair in both the youth and open divisions for over 40 years. Jerry has served as Dairy Superintendent of the Cabarrus County Agricultural Fair for over 25 years. Pless Dairy regularly enters cattle in the Rowan County Fair, Rowan County Black and White Show and the Statesville Area District Junior Show. For the past several years, Jerry and David have taken a cow to the local Piedmont Farmers Market for children to see and participate in milking a cow. Attendance is always quite large at this Farmers Market promotional event. Pless Dairy has for many decades welcomed children including school groups, 4-H clubs and scouts to visit and learn about dairy fanning. FF A classes have used the dairy facilities and cattle for the dairy cattle judging contest. In recognition of their public relations efforts, the George L. Pless, Sr. family was recognized as Concord Rotary Farm Family of the Year during the 1985 Farm/City Week Celebrations. In 1996, Jerry and John received the Rotary Fann Family on the Year Award. Each member of the family is an active member of Cross of Christ Lutheran Church. Jerry is a member of the Cabarrus Agribusiness Council. The Council's goals are to increase understanding of fanning and agribusiness' contributions to the local economy and quality of life, among citizens, particularly children and cornmunity leaders. During the past several years, the Cabarrus Agribusiness Council has planned and conducted several Agribusiness and Environmental School Days. This past year over 3000 sixth grade children from all of Cabarrus County's public, private, church and home schools came to the Cabarrus Arena and Events Center over a period of three days during the County Fair to learn about soils, plants, animals, human interaction with the environment and agribusiness by visiting 38 different interactive, participatory learning stations. Jerry helped design and participated in the dairy station. Students learned about the life cycle of a dairy cow, saw the feedstuffs she consumes, milked a cow, churned butter and sampled fresh churned butter on bread with jelly. Mrs. George Pless assisted with serving the buttered jelly bread. This event helped the Cabarrus County Agricultural Fair to win the Youth Division Award from the North and South Carolina State Fair Association. Teachers, school administrators, County government and County Fair officials agree that the Agribusiness and Environmental School Days will continue to be an integral part of the Cabarrus County Agricultural Fair. C - ':)..