By Julie Tomascik
Editor
Texas Farm Bureau (TFB) will once again offer college students an opportunity to develop problem-solving skills through the Collegiate Discussion Meet.
This year’s contest is set for April 1-2 in College Station. It will be held as part of the Young Farmer & Rancher Conference.
“The Collegiate Discussion Meet offers college students a chance to develop problem-solving skills and public speaking skills,” Travis Wanoreck, TFB’s Young Farmer & Rancher Advisory Committee chair, said. “Through this event, they get to interact with their peers from other universities, discuss possible solutions to problems facing agriculture and take advantage of networking opportunities.”
The contest, which is hosted by TFB’s Young Farmer & Rancher Advisory Committee, helps college students better understand issues facing all sectors of agriculture—farmers, ranchers, 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.
To participate, contestants must be between the ages of 18 and 35, enrolled in an undergraduate degree program and must have an interest in agriculture.
Professional speakers and former Collegiate Discussion Meet winners are not eligible to compete.
The 2022 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 2023.
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 serves as a great networking opportunity for the students to meet people within agriculture and get involved in TFB, Wanoreck said.
“The contest will allow college students to dive deeper into agricultural issues by discussing them with their peers and considering ways to be involved in agriculture and TFB following college,” he said. “TFB is the largest general farm and ranch organization in the state, and we welcome their active participation to help grow agriculture’s future.”
Registration for the Young Farmer & Rancher Conference and the Collegiate Discussion Meet closes March 4.
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.