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Discussion Meet

Congratulations to Megan Jacobsen, 2011 Open Discussion Meet Winner

After a final round of competition that focused on public perceptions of animal agriculture, Megan Jacobsen of Easton was announced as the winner of the California Farm Bureau Federation Young Farmers and Ranchers Open Discussion Meet. The event occurred during the 93rd California Farm Bureau Federation Annual Meeting in Sparks, Nev.

A Fresno County Farm Bureau member, Jacobsen was among 30 individuals to compete in the contest. As the winner, she represented CFBF in the national Discussion Meet competition at the American Farm Bureau Federation Annual Meeting in Honolulu in January.

"It is a great experience for young folks to be able to sit around a table and talk about ag issues that are important to our industry. After all, we are the future," said Jacobsen, who is the director of membership for the California Grape and Tree Fruit League. "This is a completely humbling experience. We have excellent competitors and I am thankful to California Farm Bureau for putting this on."

Moderated by the 2010 winner, Tyler Blagg of Lodi, the final round of the contest addressed the topic, "How can we convince the public that the animal agriculture industry balances production efficiencies with the public's expectations of animal care?"

Jacobsen noted that consumers "want to be talked to, not talked at."

"We can say, 'Educate, educate, educate,' but at the end of the day, it is not a one-way communication street," she said. "We need to be able to have a conversation."

As the Open Discussion Meet winner, Jacobsen earned $4,000 from CFBF sponsors California Association of Pest Control Advisers, State Compensation Insurance Fund, Dick and Cathie Bradley, Farm Credit West, CoBank, American AgCredit and Bank of America.

Congratulations to Tino Rossi, National Collegiate Discussion Meet Winner

Following a discussion about the need for social media strategies that accurately portray the experience of farmers and ranchers, a student from California State University, Fresno, won the American Farm Bureau Federation Collegiate Discussion Meet in Grand Rapids, Mich. Tino Rossi, a Fresno State freshman from Bakersfield, won the national contest during the AFBF Young Farmers and Ranchers Leadership Conference.

The Discussion Meet is a contest designed to elicit constructive criticism, cooperation and communication while discussing agricultural issues. During the final round, Rossi was asked what strategies could be implemented to expand interaction between farmers and consumers.

In response, he described successful social media programs that create interest and draw consumers into real-life agricultural activities. When looking ahead to the future of interaction on social media platforms, Rossi said he sees blogs and quick-response codes as opportunities to help create social media buzz for farmers and ranchers.

Rossi qualified for the national competition by winning the California Collegiate Discussion Meet, held last December at the California Farm Bureau Federation Annual Meeting in Sparks, Nev. In the national competition, Rossi progressed through multiple discussions, eventually competing in the Final Four round against students from Colorado, Florida and Missouri.

As winner of the Collegiate Discussion Meet, Rossi earned $2,500 from the CHS Foundation. After he completes his undergraduate degree in agricultural business at Fresno State, Rossi said he plans to pursue a master's degree in agriculture leadership development.

Rossi's victory marked the second time in three years that a Californian has won the national Collegiate Discussion Meet. Olivia Wenger won the competition in 2010 while a student at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo.

Congratulations CSU Chico

CSU Chico won the collegiate team competition at the 2011 California Farm Bureau Federation Annual Meeting in Sparks, Nev.

California Farm Bureau YF&R state coordinator Danielle Oliver said she was impressed with the quality of competitors who participated in the contest.

"During the Discussion Meet, Farm Bureau members have the opportunity to watch the next generation effectively tackle issues important to agriculture. We know they work hard to compete and we are proud of these young agricultural leaders," Oliver said.

2012 Discussion Meet Questions

  1. Certain sectors of agriculture are labor intensive and rely heavily on immigrant workers. What is a fair and balanced immigration policy?
  2. What can be done to encourage young farmers and ranchers to return home to the farm if it means living in a rural area that does not provide the same amenities (education, health care, technology) as a metropolitan community?
  3. How do we reach out to associate members to provide value to their membership?
  4. How should Farm Bureau help prepare its members—both young and old—for transferring operations to the next generation of farmers and ranchers? What is Farm Bureau's role in encouraging more transfers?
  5. How can Farm Bureau play a role to ensure the viability of quality agricultural education programs within our schools?

Resources

View the 2012 Final 4 Discussion Meet competitions