By Emmy Powell
Communications Specialist

College students from across the Lone Star state focused on challenges in agriculture during Texas Farm Bureau’s (TFB) 2024 Collegiate Discussion Meet. David Kendrick from Texas A&M University was named the winner of this year’s contest following a discussion on consolidation in agricultural businesses.

The Collegiate Discussion Meet is a roundtable discussion designed to replicate a committee meeting to help college students better understand issues facing all sectors of agriculture­.

The annual contest is hosted by TFB’s Young Farmer & Rancher (YF&R) Advisory Committee and offers college students an opportunity to develop public speaking skills and critical thinking.

This year, Kendrick and 41 other college students participated in the competition.

“Collegiate Discussion Meet helps college students develop professional and problem-solving skills through discussion with their peers. The collaborative conversation helps participants’ learn more about challenges farmers and ranchers face,” Madalynn Kainer TFB YF&R advisory committee member, said.

The remaining finalists included:

  • Kaitlynn Hughes, Texas A&M University
  • Nataly Taylor, Texas A&M University
  • Riley Gonzales, Tarleton State University
Participants were scored based on their speaking skills, effective problem solving and communication with the other contestants. As the top contestant, Kendrick took home a $2,500 cash prize and a plaque. He will also represent Texas in the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Collegiate Discussion Meet contest. Kendrick is studying agricultural economics and animal science and is a founding officer of the Texas A&M University Collegiate Farm Bureau chapter. He is also a member of the Texas A&M wool judging team, horse judging team and Saddle and Sirloin Club. After graduation, he plans to pursue a career in agriculture. He previously participated in TFB’s Thrive program and was a finalist in TFB’s AgVentures Challenge. Hughes, the runner-up, received a $1,500 cash prize and a plaque. Hughes is pursuing a degree in agricultural economics with a focus on policy marketing and is a member of the Texas A&M Collegiate Farm Bureau. She is a Terry Scholar, a member of the Agriculture Economic Society, Texas Aggie Cattle Women and Student Government of the College of Agriculture. The remaining finalists—Taylor and Gonzales—each received a $750 cash prize and plaque. Taylor is majoring in agricultural economics and animal science at Texas A&M. She is active in Texas A&M Collegiate Farm Bureau and is a member of Texas Aggie Cattle Women and the Saddle and Sirloin Club. She previously participated in TFB’s Thrive Program. Gonzalez is majoring in agricultural services and development at Tarleton. He is a member of the Tarleton Collegiate Farm Bureau chapter and has attended the TFB Annual Meeting. Other participants included: Breanna Beckendorf, Tarleton State Emmie Bertoni, WTAMU Luke Bludau, Texas A&M Anna Bonnet, WTAMU Bryce Borchardt, Texas A&M Tirey “T. S.” Bow, WTAMU Kaitlyn Collins, Tarleton State Ben Flanagan, Texas A&M Lilly E. Ford, Texas A&M Montana Goodman, WTAMU Jazmin Gutierrez-Davila, Tarleton State Catherine Hall, Tarleton State Will Hauerland, WTAMU Kyleigh Hemken, Tarleton State Isabel Henson, Sam Houston State University Kennedy Hobbs, Texas A&M Amanda Hoffmann, Texas A&M Hayden Holwick, WTAMU Ashley Irons, Texas A&M Jayda Johnson, Tarleton State Joshua Jones, Texas A&M J. Kendrick, Texas A&M Kyli Kraft, WTAMU Landon Langenbau, WTAMU Kaitlin Lavender, Tarleton State Amy Kaye Mathis, Texas A&M Jayci Mekelburg, WTAMU Jett Mizer, WTAMU Davis Nix, Texas A&M Dawson Raub, Texas A&M Grace Real, Texas A&M Kelli Ressmann, Tarleton State Natalia Rodriguez, WTAMU Owen Sanders, Texas A&M Leanna Sarman, WTAMU Maci Schley, Tarleton State Tyler Schneider, WTAMU Tyson Schneider, WTAMU Richard Spencer, Texas A&M Clayton Stevenson, WTAMU Elijah Weisensee, WTAMU Greyson Castillo, Texas A&M Learn more about TFB opportunities for collegiate students at texasfarmbureau.org/collegiate.

Participants were scored based on their speaking skills, effective problem solving and communication with the other contestants.

As the top contestant, Kendrick took home a $2,500 cash prize and a plaque. He will also represent Texas in the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Collegiate Discussion Meet contest.

Kendrick is studying agricultural economics and animal science and is a founding officer of the Texas A&M University Collegiate Farm Bureau chapter. He is also a member of the Texas A&M wool judging team, horse judging team and Saddle and Sirloin Club. After graduation, he plans to pursue a career in agriculture.

He previously participated in TFB’s Thrive program and was a finalist in TFB’s AgVentures Challenge.

Hughes, the runner-up, received a $1,500 cash prize and a plaque.

Hughes is pursuing a degree in agricultural economics with a focus on policy marketing and is a member of the Texas A&M Collegiate Farm Bureau. She is a Terry Scholar, a member of the Agriculture Economic Society, Texas Aggie Cattle Women and Student Government of the College of Agriculture.

The remaining finalists—Taylor and Gonzales—each received a $750 cash prize and plaque.

Taylor is majoring in agricultural economics and animal science at Texas A&M. She is active in Texas A&M Collegiate Farm Bureau and is a member of Texas Aggie Cattle Women and the Saddle and Sirloin Club. She previously participated in TFB’s Thrive Program.

Gonzalez is majoring in agricultural services and development at Tarleton. He is a member of the Tarleton Collegiate Farm Bureau chapter and has attended the TFB Annual Meeting.

Other participants included:

  • Breanna Beckendorf, Tarleton State
  • Emmie Bertoni, WTAMU
  • Luke Bludau, Texas A&M
  • Bryce Borchardt, Texas A&M
  • Tirey “T. S.” Bow, WTAMU
  • Kaitlyn Collins, Tarleton State
  • Ben Flanagan, Texas A&M
  • Lilly E. Ford, Texas A&M
  • Montana Goodman, WTAMU
  • Jazmin Gutierrez-Davila, Tarleton State
  • Catherine Hall, Tarleton State
  • Will Hauerland, WTAMU
  • Kyleigh Hemken, Tarleton State
  • Isabel Henson, Sam Houston State University
  • Kennedy Hobbs, Texas A&M
  • Amanda Hoffmann, Texas A&M
  • Hayden Holwick, WTAMU
  • Ashley Irons, Texas A&M
  • Jayda Johnson, Tarleton State
  • Joshua Jones, Texas A&M
  • Kyli Kraft, WTAMU
  • Landon Langenbau, WTAMU
  • Kaitlin Lavender, Tarleton State
  • Amy Kaye Mathis, Texas A&M
  • Jayci Mekelburg, WTAMU
  • Jett Mizer, WTAMU
  • Davis Nix, Texas A&M
  • Dawson Raub, Texas A&M
  • Grace Real, Texas A&M
  • Kelli Ressmann, Tarleton State
  • Natalia Rodriguez, WTAMU
  • Maci Schley, Tarleton State
  • Tyler Schneider, WTAMU
  • Tyson Schneider, WTAMU
  • Clayton Stevenson, WTAMU
  • Elijah Weisensee, WTAMU
  • Greyson Castillo, Texas A&M

Learn more about TFB opportunities for collegiate students at texasfarmbureau.org/collegiate.