By Emmy Powell
Communications Specialist

Texas Farm Bureau’s (TFB) Collegiate Discussion Meet will offer college students an opportunity to develop public speaking skills and critical thinking.

This year’s contest is set for March 31 and April 1 at TFB’s Young Farmer & Rancher (YF&R) Spring Conference in Grapevine.

“Discussion Meet is important for students because they are not only going to grow public speaking skills, but they’re networking and meeting people their age who have a common interest,” Tyler Schuster, TFB YF&R Advisory Committee member, said.

The contest, which is hosted by TFB’s YF&R Advisory Committee, helps college students better understand issues facing all sectors of agriculture—farming, ranching, agribusinesses, the food supply chain and more.

The contest features a roundtable discussion on two of the five possible agricultural topics on Friday, April 1. A final round consisting of the top four contestants will take place on Saturday, April 2.

“Critical thinking and time management are additional skills you gain. You’re having to come up with solutions to questions that nobody really knows the answer to,” she said. “You’re having to work to build that answer, but also build it around what other people are saying and collaborate with the other participants.”

To participate, contestants must be between the ages of 18 and 35, must have an interest in agriculture and be pursuing an undergraduate degree.

Professional speakers and former Collegiate Discussion Meet winners are not eligible to compete.

The winner will take home a $2,500 cash award and will receive expense-paid trips to the TFB Annual Meeting in December and the American Farm Bureau Collegiate Discussion Meet in February 2024.

The runner-up will receive a $1,500 cash prize and an expense-paid trip to the TFB Annual Meeting.

The remaining finalists will each receive $750.

In addition to the prizes, the Collegiate Discussion Meet will serve as a networking opportunity for the students to meet people within agriculture, get involved in TFB and learn professionalism, Schuster said.

“It’s a really unique opportunity. Scholarship money is great. If you win, you get to go to the American Farm Bureau discussion meet and the State Farm Bureau meeting,” Schuster said. “But if you don’t win, you’re going to walk away with a new understanding and a broader view of agriculture.”

Registration for the Young Farmer & Rancher Conference and the Collegiate Discussion Meet closes March 3.

The Collegiate Discussion Meet Manual, which includes the topics, room setup and more, can be found online at texasfarmbureau.org/YFR. Additional registration information, including costs and the sign up link, is also available.

Contact youngfarmers@txfb.org with questions related to the contest or the organization’s YF&R program.

For more information and to apply, visit www.texasfarmbureau.org/YFR.