By Shelby Shank
Field Editor

Understanding retail beef cuts, farm finances and the future of agriculture were among the topics discussed during the Texas Farm Bureau (TFB) Young Farmer & Rancher (YF&R) Spring Conference.

The event, hosted by TFB April 4-6 in Waco, gave farmers, ranchers, agricultural professionals and college students the opportunity to network and learn from each other and industry experts.

“The YF&R Spring Conference provides a valuable opportunity for young farmers and ranchers to come together, discuss similar challenges we’re facing, explore solutions, celebrate successes, and most importantly, learn from one another,” said Hailey Hayes, TFB’s YF&R Advisory Committee chair. “Everyone was able to learn about a variety of topics and meet with speakers and industry experts from across the state.”

Featured presentations
The conference opened with a presentation on professional networking, led by Maegan Meredith of the American Farm Bureau Federation. Meredith offered practical tips for making authentic connections and strong first impressions.

“The more you grow your network, the more support and shared experiences you gain from likeminded people,” said Lanea Bayless, a student at Sam Houston State University.

Breakout sessions tackled a wide range of topics, including learning about beef retail cuts, addressing the challenges faced by first-generation ranchers and previewing the weather outlook for agriculture.

“The breakout sessions were very informative,” Bayless said. “I really enjoyed the meat cutting presentation because he broke it down into simple terms and concepts that anyone can understand.”

The meat cutting demonstration was led by Ryan Yeatts, operations and business analyst at Standard Meat Company and vice chair of the YF&R Advisory Committee. His session focused on understanding beef retail cuts and how ranchers can better communicate product value to consumers.

Chief meteorologist and climatologist, Brian Bledsoe, gave participants a detailed preview of this year’s weather forecast to help farmers and ranchers plan accordingly.

Markie Hageman Jones, a first-generation rancher from California’s Central Valley, shared her personal experiences navigating common challenges in ranching and discussed how she uses social media to advocate for agriculture.

“My wife and I come from strong agricultural backgrounds, but we’re essentially the first-generation to ranch. There’s a lot of knowledge, but no inheritance. We’re starting from scratch,” said Kyle Hall, a Coryell County Farm Bureau member. “We’re doing our best to learn everything we can to avoid making the same mistakes our predecessors did and take advantage of the opportunities and resources available to us while we’re still young.”

Attendees also heard from John Coleman Locke of JD Hudgins, Inc. about ranching for profit.

“The presentation on ranching for profit was really interesting because he broke it down and put it into perspective that was easier to understand without getting lost in the details,” Hall said. “Looking at profit and loss reports and tax forms can be overwhelming, so it was helpful to see it broken down to a basic level and realign with what your goals need to be at the end of the day.”

John Sachse, a rancher and officer in the Kansas Army National Guard, closed the conference with an inspiring session on how shifting your mindset can transform your farm or ranch.

“Stress is kind of a silent killer in our industry. Everyone holds a burden, carries that weight, but nobody talks about it,” Hall said. “It was nice to see that it’s being talked about at this conference and the solutions.”

The three-day conference gave ample opportunity for young agricultural leaders to meet and discuss with one another.

Over 150 young farmers, ranchers, ag professionals and college students between the ages of 18 and 35 were in attendance.

And each is leaving their mark on Texas agriculture, building a legacy to pass on to the next generation.

Collegiate Discussion Meet
The conference also featured the Collegiate Discussion Meet, where Aubrey Schlimgen of Tarleton State University earned the top honor and will advance to represent TFB in the national contest next year.

Upcoming YF&R events
Upcoming YF&R activities include several meet-and-greet opportunities at select baseball games this summer.

Fall Tour is scheduled for Sept. 4-7 in the Coastal Bend. Registration details will be announced this summer.

For more information on young farmer and ranchers activities, visit texasfarmbureau.org/YFR or email youngfarmers@txfb.org.