Ingham County’s Emma Barnum, a member of the MSU-Main Campus Collegiate Farm Bureau, competed in the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) Collegiate Discussion Meet held during the 2023 AFBF FUSION Conference March 3-6 in Jacksonville, Florida.
The Collegiate Discussion Meet is designed to replicate a committee meeting where discussion and active participation are expected from each participant. Competitors are evaluated on their ability to exchange ideas and information on an agricultural topic and find answers or solutions related to it.
After two opening rounds, Barnum earned a spot in the Sweet 16. Each round covered a specific area of focus: emerging technology, infrastructure and supply-chain management.
Thirty-three competitors from across the U.S. participated in this year’s event. Each received a $100 scholarship courtesy of CHS Foundation in recognition of their efforts and making it to the national level; students advancing to the Sweet 16 received an additional $300 scholarship. CHS provided a total of $15,000 in scholarship funds for the contest.
Last December Barnum won the MFB’s 2022 Collegiate State Discussion Meet after moving through two opening rounds and the final four.
Collegiate Farm Bureau members interested in competing in the 2023 MFB Collegiate State Discussion meet should reach out to their collegiate advisors and are encouraged to attend a Young Farmer Discussion Meet in their districts.
As information is finalized for this year’s competition, keep up to date by bookmarking MFB’s Discussion Meet page.
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