Throughout the summer, Texas Farm Bureau staff helped Texas 4-H and Texas FFA members expand their agricultural advocacy skills through several events and opportunities.
Texas 4-H Livestock and Equine Ambassadors spent a day in July learning from TFB staff.
TFB Government Affairs staff discussed animal welfare issues, and TFB Organization staff shared insight into leadership and scholarship opportunities for high school students. TFB Communications staff conducted an engagement training, which included information on social media and media interviews.
During the Texas 4-H Roundup in College Station, the Doorways to Agriculture exhibit was on display, and TFB presented scholarships to two 4-H officers.
TFB staff also attended the Texas County Agricultural Agents Association meeting in San Antonio and sponsored the Texas Association of Extension 4-H Agents meeting.
TFB exhibited a booth in the trade show at the 93rd annual Texas FFA State Convention in Fort Worth and participated in activities as a corporate sponsor of the organization. TFB President Russell Boening visited with the Texas FFA Ambassadors and addressed the delegation when he presented scholarships to the outgoing FFA state president and first vice president.
Staff interacted with students throughout the week to discuss TFB scholarships and the Collegiate Farm Bureau pilot program, as well as the Student Success Series and the Free Enterprise Speech Contest.
The newly-elected Texas FFA state officers spent a day learning about Farm Bureau and agricultural advocacy efforts when they visited the TFB headquarters in Waco.
TFB also had a booth and at the Agriculture Teachers Association of Texas’s annual conference in Corpus Christi. The Commodity and Regulatory Affairs staff conducted a virtual workshop on emerging issues in agriculture.
“The relationship between TFB and the two youth organizations can help inspire students to pursue a career in agriculture,” Whit Weems, TFB director of Organization Division, said. “It can also strengthen agricultural advocacy efforts for the youth members and cultivate future leaders for Farm Bureau.”