It may feel out of season to be talking about a Sweet 16, but here in Farm Bureau Land, this means 16 dynamic Young Farmer members coming together to discuss key agricultural issues.
Out of 12 district-level Discussion Meets and 29 preliminary round competitors, these members have made it to the semifinal competition in the statewide Discussion Meet. They excelled through two rounds of virtual competition Nov. 9, discussing land access and diversification:
- Drew Bordner, St. Joseph County
- Ashley Cooper, Clare
- Logan Crumbaugh, Gratiot,
- Jasper Cunningham, Oceana
- Kelsi Dalgord, Hiawathaland
- Erica Drake, Washtenaw
- Amanda Goodfellow, Mecosta
- Sarah Hollon, Clare
- Kate King, Wexford
- Logan Maher, Sanilac
- Jasmine McNary, Sanilac
- Madeleine Smeltzer, Wexford
- Emily Swift, St. Joseph
- Mark Trowbridge, St. Joseph
- Shayla Williams, Jackson
- Zoey Zupin, Kent
Discussion Meets are designed to simulate a committee meeting where active participation is vital. Participants are evaluated on how they engage in thoughtful, diplomatic conversations on important agricultural issues, honing their discussion and collaboration skills.
The next three rounds will cover these important topics:
- The landscape of American agriculture and the picture of the “typical” American farm continues to change. Meanwhile, Farm Bureau will need to continue to recruit and retain members in order to be a vibrant and effective organization into the future. How can Farm Bureau continue to provide value and opportunity to welcome members from across the broad diversity of modern agriculture and American farmers and ranchers?
- Succession planning is often a tough subject not only for individual farms and ranches but also within county Farm Bureaus. Some younger members may find it challenging to become involved in their county Farm Bureau beyond the Young Farmer committee. What are some ways that county Farm Bureaus can encourage involvement from young members and how can actively engaged young board members help their county Farm Bureaus plan for the future?
- Farmers and ranchers are reliant on multiple energy sources to run equipment, heat livestock barns and power storage and maintenance facilities. How can Farm Bureau work with energy companies, local governments and rural communities to increase domestic energy production, minimize loss of agricultural land and protect private property rights?
The Sweet 16 and final rounds will take place Dec. 3 at MFB’s 2024 State Annual Meeting in Grand Rapids. The winner will receive $2,000 sponsored by Farm Bureau Insurance, and the opportunity to represent Michigan at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Young Farmer & Rancher Discussion Meet in San Antonio, Texas, in January. Prizes for the Final Four are provided by Grainger, Michigan Farm Bureau Health Services, the Michigan Foundation for Agriculture, and KEY Apparel.
Keep up with the competition by following Michigan Farm Bureau on Facebook.
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