About the YF&R Program
The Young Farmers and Ranchers committee
of Farm Bureau provides an excellent opportunity for young
farmers, ages 18 to 35, to actively participate in the programs
of their organization.
Young farmers and
ranchers gathered for their annual meeting at the Grand
Targhee Resort. |
Farm Bureau needs young adult farmers and
they need Farm Bureau. Never was this more true than today.
Other organizations claiming to represent American agriculture
are seeking out the young farmer. Farm Bureau will continue
its successful and influential approach to solving the many
problems of farmers only as its young members are given
leadership responsibilities and are encouraged to contribute
their energies and abilities for overall success.
As a result of their active participation
in the overall Farm Bureau programs, they will experience
personal growth and achieve desired aims as Farm Bureau
members, farmers and citizens. Effective and meaningful
participation requires that young members become a part
of Farm Bureau - not apart from Farm Bureau. This means
activation and participation in membership acquisition and
maintenance, legislative activities, policy development
and execution, commodity promotion, marketing, political
education and action, local affairs, and in the many affiliated
companies. It is this that a sound Farm Bureau Young Farmers
and Ranchers program encourages.
Dave Patrick, a farmer
from Twin Falls County, is active in the IFBF Young
Farmers and Ranchers program. |
Basically then, the overriding purpose
of Farm Bureau Young Farmer's program is to provide our young
farm members with additional opportunities for becoming active
members of the Farm Bureau family.
The following excerpt is from the AFBF policy
book:
Young Farmers and Ranchers are eager for
meaningful involvement in the vital issues confronting
agriculture. We must seek to satisfy that desire through
involvement of qualified young farmers and ranchers in
all Farm Bureau activities.
A Young Farmers and Ranchers program can
be successful only if given the strong and active support
of county leaders. This support can best be shown by taking
an active interest in the appointing and guiding of a
Young Farmers and Ranchers Committee which is advisory
and responsible to the County Farm Bureau Board. Steps
should be taken to provide Young Farmers and Ranchers
easy access to participation in all Farm Bureau programs.
What
is the Discussion Meet?
The "Discussion Meet" is a contest
promoted by the AFBF Young Farmers and Ranchers Committee.
This contest is designed to simulate a committee meeting
where discussion and active participation are expected from
each committee member.
Greg and Marci Bingham were the Idaho Young Farmer and Rancher Achievement Award winners for 2007 and competed at the national competition in New Orleans. |
The contest itself involves a moderator
and from 4-6 contestants. The moderator's responsibility
is to introduce the topic and the contestants, start the
discussion and keep it on track. The contestants discuss
a pre-selected topic.
The three fundamental bases of general discussion
are constructive criticism, cooperation and communication.
With this in mind, the participants' responsibility is to
exchange ideas and information in an effort to solve a problem.
The discussion should not be "conversation" or
aimless talk nor should the participant take the role of
a persuasive speaker. The participant should attempt to
cooperatively shed further light on the problem and tentatively
retain a flexible position. A successful participant is
a productive thinker rather than an emotional persuader,
who is free to state beliefs and change positions whenever
new information and ideas make that a reasonable thing to
do.
Finally, this is not a panel symposium wherein
each participant, in turn, makes a presentation, with the
moderator ending the session with a summary. Rather, it
is an exercise in cooperative problem solving, with the
questions, answers and statements coming from any quarter
at any time.
Generally speaking, the discussion should
follow these steps:
- State problem or need.
- Explore, define, understand problem or
need.
- Identify causes of problem or need.
- Elaborate all possible alternative solutions.
- Evaluate and compare alternatives.
- Test and project what appears to be the
best solution.
- Arrive at ways to implement the solution.
Idaho young farmers and ranchers competing in the state discussion meet final. |
Purpose
of the Discussion Meet
The strength of Farm Bureau is largely
in its ability to involve members in analyzing their agricultural
problems and deciding on solutions which best meet their
needs. Experience has proven that the Discussion Meet will
provide an opportunity for greater participation on the
part of young, active farmers and ranchers. It will help
them to develop a greater command of basic discussion skill.
They will acquire a better understanding of how people can
think in groups for the sake of better understanding and
solutions to problems.
As a leadership training and self-improvement
device, the Discussion Meet experience will:
- Stimulate logical thinking and a desire
for accurate information.
- Develop a concise and convenient manner
of speaking.
- Develop the ability to listen.
- Help the participant to overcome timidity
or stage fright.
- Assist the individual in learning to
give and receive criticism in a gainful manner.
- Teach the value of compromise.
- Develop leaders for effective problem-solving
through group discussion.
State Discussion Meet winner receives:
- Polaris ATV
- $500 from Dodge
- Trip to attend the American Farm Bureau Annual Convention, including registration for two and a three-night stay
State YF&R Discussion Meet runner-up receives:
The winner of the national YF&R Discussion Meet contest receives:
- Dodge Ram 2500 pickup truck
- Paid registration to the AFBF YF&R Leadership Conference
The three national discussion meet runners-up receive:
- $6,000 U.S. Savings Bond
- Farm Boss chainsaw, courtesy of Stihl Outdoor Power equipment
Achiever
Award
The Achiever Award is designed to
recognize those young farmers and ranchers that have excelled
in their farming/ranching operations and honed their leadership
abilities to superiority.
The contestants will be evaluated on a combination
of their farming operation growth and financial progress
of operation, FB Leadership, as well as leadership outside
of Farm Bureau. More specifically, the judges will be looking
for excellence in management, growth and scope of the enterprise
and self-initiative that have been displayed throughout
the operation. A contestant's participation in Farm Bureau
and other organizations is a definite point getter from
the judges.
State YF&R Achievement Award winner:
- Polaris ATV
- $500 from Dodge
- Trip to attend the American Farm Bureau Annual Convention, including registration for two and a three-night stay
State YF&R Achievement runner-up receives:
The National winner of the YF&R Achievement Award receives:
- Dodge Ram 3500 pickup truck
- $1,000 product voucher from Valvoline
- Paid registration to the AFBF YF&R Leadership Conference
The four National Achievement Award runners-up will receive:
- Case IH DX compact tractor
- $500 product voucher from Valvoline
Excellence in Agriculture
The Excellence in Agriculture competition
is for young people who are involved in agriculture but
do not derive all of their income directly from farming
or ranching. Examples of this would be farmer's market gardeners,
small scale livestock operations such as 4-H lambs, chickens,
or other small farming operations.
State YF&R Excellence in Agriculture winner receives:
- Laptop Computer
- $500 from Dodge
- Trip to attend the American Farm Bureau Annual Convention, including registration for two and a three-night stay
State YF&R Excellence in Agriculture runner-up receives:
The National winner of the YF&R Excellence in Agriculture receives:
- Dodge Ram 1500 pickup truck
- Paid registration to the AFBF YF&R Leadership Conference
The three National Excellence in Agriculture runners-up will receive:
- $6,000 U.S. Savings Bond
- Farm Boss chainsaw, courtesy of Stihl Outdoor Power equipment
YF&R Program Alliances
The American Farm Bureau Federation's Young
Farmer & Rancher are working with America's Second Harvest
to help feed the millions of Americans who face hunger.
It's America's first harvesters helping America's Second
Harvest in what we call a "Harvest for All." Follow
this link for more information. |
