Young Farmers & Ranchers Program
Young Farmers & Ranchers are agricultural producers and enthusiasts 18-35 years old who are…..
GROWING THROUGH ACTION
- Acquiring cutting edge information through participation in educational conferences
- Building a network with fellow farmers and agricultural enthusiasts
- Earning recognition for their achievements in business excellence and leadership success
- Continuing their professional development and personal growth
LEADING THROUGH SERVICE
- Providing workable solutions for issues affecting agriculture
- Influencing public policies that affect agriculture now and in the future
- Stepping up and telling the story of agriculture
- Serving their communities by volunteering and making a difference
The NYFB Young Farmers & Rancher (YF&R) Program has identified two basic needs of young farmers: Leadership and Social. There are three groups of young farmers that participate in programs & activities: Young Farmers – Single/non-parents, Young Farmers with Families and FFA/College Students. The NYFB YF&R Program will be working with these identified young farmer needs and target groups to develop future programs and activities. To assist county Farm Bureau YF&R committees in developing programs, a Young Farmer Program Guide is available.
NYFB State Young Farmer & Rancher Committee
The State Young Famer and Rancher Committee consists of an elected representative from each of the 11 regions, an elected chair (who also sits on the NYFB Board of Directors) and up to three At-Large members. These individuals help to coordinate events and activities in all of the counties within their regions.
Young Farmers participate in many leadership activities on the local and state levels. Workshops to enhance leadership skills and public speaking skills are offered at the YF&R Leadership Conference and the State Annual Meeting. Some of the county Farm Bureau Young Farmer groups also conduct leadership training sessions throughout the year. All Young Farmers are encouraged to participate in these opportunities.
Interested in taking your leadership potential to the state level?
If so, the NYFB State Young Farmer Committee could be the perfect fit. The objective of the committee is to surface and develop young leaders. The committee consists of a representative from each of the 11 NYFB districts and up tothree At-Large positions. District representatives serve a 2-year term and At-Large positions are serve a 1-year term. The committee serves as a liaison for county YF&R Committee chairs and plans the annual YF&R Conference.
All of the Young Farmer events and activities have a social aspect. Attending county meetings, picnics, community service projects and Young Farmer Leadership Conferences enables Young Farmers the opportunity to network with their peers and benefit from their time off the farm.
The NYFB Young Farmers have joined Young Farmers across the nation to partner with Feeding America (formally America’s Second Harvest), the largest domestic hunger-relief organization in the U.S., to conduct the “Harvest for All” campaign. The YF&R Committee has adopted this campaign as a service project. County Young Farmers are conducting food drives and volunteering their time to assist at local food pantries and food banks.
In 2007, 2008, and 2009 New York Farm Bureau was recognized as one of the leading states to participate in Harvest for All project, a partnership between Farm Bureau and Feeding America. This national program is a collaboration between farmers and food banks to provide nutritious, local food to those who need it most.
Competitive events offer unique opportunities for members to learn about Farm Bureau while earning recognition and prizes. These activities are a great way to learn, network and have fun.
THE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Are you striving to assemble the best agricultural enterprise you can? Are you working toward excellence in the areas of personal growth and leadership development?
This award highlights young Farm Bureau members’ efforts in production agriculture and leadership achievement. Participants are involved in production agriculture with a majority of their income subject to normal production risks. Competitors are judged on their farm operation and growth, the financial progress of their operation and their Farm Bureau and community leadership. The NYFB 2010 and AFBF 2011 achievement award information and application is now available. The deadline for application is July 1, 2010.
THE DISCUSSION MEET
Do you enjoy discussing agriculture issues with fellow farmers or ranchers? Do you like to express your ideas to help develop a solution?
This is an activity designed to build crucial skills in young, active farmers and ranchers. By participating, members 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. Annually, the NYFB YF&R Program also sponsors a Collegiate Discussion Meet contest. The information, application, questions and resource materials for the 2010/11 Discussion Meet are now available. Pre-registration is required by October 15, 2010.
Check out the 2010 National Discussion Meet and the Collegiate Discussion Meet contest videos.
THE EXCELLENCE IN AGRICULTURE AWARD
Do you excel in leadership? Do you understand agriculture issues?
This award spotlights young Farm Bureau members who are agricultural enthusiasts but have not earned a majority of their income from an owned production agriculture enterprise in the past three years. Competitors are evaluated on their understanding of agricultural issues, leadership experiences and achievement. General information, submission rules and application are now available. Application deadline is July 1, 2010.
The New York winners of each of these contests advance to the national level to compete in the American Farm Bureau Federation contests. The national winner of each of these competitions holds the coveted title of the best of the best. In addition there is an impressive list of prizes including cash, chainsaws, tractors and pick-up trucks.
Farm Bureau’s strength depends on its members’ abilities to analyze agriculture issues and decide on solutions that best meet their needs. For more information regarding competitive events, contact New York Farm Bureau.
For more information on the Young Farmers & Ranchers Program, contact:
Patti Dugan, Deputy Director of Member Relations
518-436-8495 / 1-800-342-4143
E-mail: pdugan@nyfb.org
Or by mail:
New York Farm Bureau
159 Wolf Road
P.O. Box 5330
Albany, NY 12205-0330
