Maryland Farm Bureau Young Farmers
Join us for the Annual Convention and Young Farmer Competitive Events!
Discussion Meet | Excellence in Agriculture | Achievement Award
Thank you to our Convention Sponsor, MidAtlantic Farm Credit!
Contestants must also register for the MDFB Annual Convention if not already registered by their county or MDFB Staff.
The Young Farmers are also happy to announce that we will be partnering with Ford for a “Fill-A-Ford” Food Drive that will benefit the Maryland Food Bank. There will be a Ford truck located on the Trade Show floor and throughout the Convention attendees can help in fill the bed of the truck with donated items. Here is a list of the most requested items from the Maryland Food Bank.
Young Farmers Donate 5,000 Meals
Young farmers from around the state gathered together to pack 5,000 meals for families in need on the lower shore during an event at Maryland Farm Bureau’s 104th Annual Convention.
The organization’s Young Farmers Committee spearheaded the donation effort as part of Farm Bureau’s Harvest for All program. The program has worked for the past 18 years to help provide food to those in need. Packed meals were donated to local Maryland Food Bank community partners.
“Maryland Farm Bureau members have a long history of supporting the important work of local food banks,” said Katie Stevens, chair of the MFB Young Farmers Committee and a farmer from Frederick County. “Whether it be donating food from our farms to families in need or donating our time to pack meals, we’re happy to be involved in the effort to fight hunger in the state.”
More than 650,000 Maryland residents – or 1 in 9 – are food insecure, meaning they live at risk of hunger. The Maryland Food Bank is a non-profit organization leading the movement to end hunger in Maryland. Their extensive network of partners across the state distribute food to Marylanders in need.
If you are interested in volunteering to fight hunger in Maryland, please visit mdfoodbank.org. Farmers interested in participating in the Harvest for All program or the Maryland Farm to Food Bank program should contact Parker Welch at pwelch@mdfarmbureau.com.
2020-2021 Young Farmer Committee
District 1 (Allegany, Frederick, Garrett, Washington) – Katie Stevens, Chair
District 2 (Carroll, Howard, Montgomery) – Greg Dell
District 3 (Anne Arundel, Calvert, Charles, Prince George’s, St. Mary’s) – Kayla Griffith
District 4 (Baltimore, Cecil, Harford) – Wilson Davis
District 5 (Caroline, Kent, Queen Anne’s, Talbot) – Marshal Cahall
District 6 (Dorchester, Wicomico, Worcester, Somerset) – Shelby Griffin
Apply to be on the Young Farmers Committee by filling out the application, here.
Competitive Events Winners for 2020
Discussion Meet – Wilson Davis, Cecil County
Wilson will represent Maryland at the American Farm Bureau Federation Annual Convention in Austin, TX in January.
He is pictured here with Katie Stevens, Frederick County, Chair of the Young Farmers Committee.
The Final Four who participated in Discussion Meet at the Maryland Farm Bureau Convention on December 8th, 2019 were Wilson Davis, Cecil County, Greg Dell, Carroll County, Emmy Dallam, Harford County, and Olivia Huber, Harford County.
Young Farmers Competitive Events
Farmers & Ranchers (YF&R) Committee. Farm Bureau’s strength depends on its members’ ability to analyze agricultural issues and decide on solutions that best meet their needs. The competition is designed to simulate a committee meeting where discussion and active participation are expected from each committee member. Applicants build basic discussion skills, develop a keen understanding of important agricultural issues and explore how groups can pool knowledge to reach consensus and solve problems.
A successful applicant is a productive thinker rather than an emotional persuader. He/she will assist the group in creating ways to implement the solutions discussed and highlight Farm Bureau’s involvement in those actions/steps. The applicants will discuss pre-selected topics using four bases for the general discussion: Cooperation, Constructive Criticism, Problem Solving, and Communication.
To help competitors prepare for state and national Discussion Meets, AFBF will be hosting a series of trainings again this fall. Each call/webinar will last an hour and include an industry expert on one of the five questions that will be used in the 2022 YF&R Discussion Meet in Atlanta and the YF&R Collegiate Discussion Meet in Louisville. The first training will cover the overall competition and preparation tips. There will be ample time for questions and answers during each of the trainings. If you have interest in participating in these trainings, please notify Parker Welch at pwelch@marylandfb.org so that you can be added to the listserv and receive call-in credentials.
Participation in this program with individual recognition and the resulting publicity will help build the organization. The ideal candidate(s) for the Achievement Award is an individual or couple involved in production agriculture with a majority of his/her net income subject to normal production risks.
National Competitors
Congratulations to our two members who represented Maryland on the national level in 2019. Matt Teffeau, Talbot County, competed in the Discussion Meet competition at the American Farm Bureau Convention in New Orleans, LA in January. Bethany Meyers, Garrett County, competed in the Collegiate Discussion Meet at the FUSION Conference in Milwaukee, WI in March.
Learn more about how you can get involved at the state and national levels.