By Julie Tomascik
Editor
Training efforts and agricultural engagement with young leaders have earned two county Farm Bureaus a trip to American Farm Bureau Federation’s (AFBF) annual convention.
The Austin and Floyd County Farm Bureaus (CFB) were two of the 24 winners nationwide selected by AFBF for innovative program ideas in this year’s County Activities of Excellence (CAE) Awards program.
The Agriculture Training Day was hosted by Austin CFB for the Tours Committee at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. The committee directs tours to more than 450,000 patrons in the Ag Venture Experience.
The committee doesn’t have extensive knowledge of agriculture. So, Austin County Farm Bureau leaders set out to engage and inform the committee on agricultural production in an effort to counter common ag myths.
During the training, 178 registered committee members attended 45-minute workshops on beef cattle, dairy cattle, poultry, swine, sheep and goats, grain production and agricultural misconceptions.
Austin CFB leaders recognized the need for this educational activity and said those involved in the training took home valuable information and a better understanding of agriculture.
Across the state, another county set out to ignite interest in agriculture with their youth.
For years, Floyd CFB awarded scholarships to graduating seniors who wrote an essay over a topic chosen by the board of directors. But participation was dwindling, as was the understanding of agriculture.
Floyd CFB leaders decided to engage young leaders and help them hone their advocacy skills.
They hosted the Ag Issues Leadership Discussion Meet. Participating students were encouraged to study the topics prior to the contest.
The event was modeled after the Collegiate and Young Farmer & Rancher Discussion Meets hosted at the state and national level.
County Farm Bureau leaders assisted with facilitating the event and secured outside judges to evaluate the discussions. Two preliminary rounds and a final round were held.
Four students received scholarships as prizes from the event.
County leaders said the discussion meet engaged the high school students on a greater level than an essay developed behind a computer screen.
Another notable CFB, Callahan-Shackelford, was recognized as a state CAE qualifier for its Operation Bridge-the-Gap, which was a day spent reaching out to legislators in Austin about issues affecting agriculture.
All three CFBs will have a booth at the Texas Farm Bureau annual meeting Dec. 2-4 in Frisco.
Austin and Floyd CFBs, along with the other national winners, will be highlighted during AFBF’s 99th Annual Convention and IDEAg Trade Show Jan. 5-10, 2018 in Nashville, Tenn.