Maryland Farm Bureau Young Farmers
Young Farmers and Ranchers Summer Picnic and Farm Tours
Join the Young Farmers and Ranchers of Maryland on June 22nd for a day of farm tours, food, friends and fun. The day will start at 10:00 AM and feature a variety of tours including a local dairy, distillery, orchard, grain farm and end the day at Bortner Valley with dinner. Registration is limited, and $40 early sign up ends May 15th. If you have any questions, contact anyone on the YFnR Committee or reach out to YFnR Coordinator Mitchell Hopkins at mhopkins@marylandfb.org.
The 2025 Discussion Meet questions that will be used for the 2024 Maryland Farm Bureau Annual Meeting have been announced!
1. Young farmers and ranchers are finding they need to diversify their farm portfolio. What are some ways that young farmers and ranchers can utilize diversification to explore new revenue sources? How can Farm Bureau support YF&R members as they strengthen their farm and ranch businesses?
2. Increases in the price of agricultural land make access and ownership of land one of the biggest hurdles for young farmers and ranchers looking to start or expand farms and ranches. How can young farmers and ranchers position themselves to react to competition for agricultural land?
3. 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?
4. 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 YF&R 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?
5. 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 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 Donate 5,000 MealsYoung 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@marylandfb.org.
2023-2024 Young Farmer Committee
District 1 (Allegany, Frederick, Garrett, Washington) – Emily Stamper
District 2 (Carroll, Howard, Montgomery) – Greg Dell, Chair
District 3 (Anne Arundel, Calvert, Charles, Prince George’s, St. Mary’s) – Charlie Scasser
District 4 (Baltimore, Cecil, Harford) – Wilson Davis
District 5 (Caroline, Kent, Queen Anne’s, Talbot) – Alan Eck and Rachel Manning
District 6 (Dorchester, Wicomico, Worcester, Somerset) – Shelby Griffin
Competitive Events Winners for 2023
Discussion Meet Renee Wilson, Baltimore County
Collegiate Discussion Meet Cheyenne Van Echo, Frederick County (University of Maryland)
Shelby Green, Discussion Meet and Becky Yost will represent Maryland at the American Farm Bureau Federation Annual Convention in Salt Lake City, UT in January 2024. Cheyenne will represent Maryland at the Young Farmers & Ranchers Conference in Omaha, NE in March 2024.
The Final Four in the Farm Bureau contest who participated in Discussion Meet at the Maryland Farm Bureau Convention on December 3rd, 2023 were Renee Wilson, Baltimore County, Charlie Sasscer, St. Mary’s County, Cheyenne Van Echo, Frederick County, and Raven Herron, Howard 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.
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.
Learn more about how you can get involved at the state and national levels.