By Shelby Shank
Field Editor

A statewide conference will provide opportunities for networking and education for farmers, ranchers and agricultural professionals between the ages of 18 and 35.

Texas Farm Bureau’s (TFB) Young Farmer & Rancher (YF&R) Spring Conference is designed to equip young leaders and professionals in agriculture with the tools needed to strengthen their agricultural advocacy efforts and help with farm and ranch decisions.

The event is set for April 4-6 at the TFB Conference and Training Center in Waco.

“I encourage young farmers, ranchers and anyone involved agriculture ages 18 to 35 to attend the Spring Conference,” Hailey Hayes, TFB’s YF&R Advisory Committee chair, said. “This is an excellent opportunity to network with like-minded individuals and gain valuable insights to enhance our advocacy efforts and farm decisions.”

TFB also encourages college students to participate.

The conference will feature breakout sessions on navigating the challenges of being a first-generation rancher, understanding retail beef cuts and previewing the weather outlook for agriculture. Attendees will also benefit from insights shared by John Locke of JD Hudgins Brahmans, who will discuss strategies for ranching profitably. John Sachse, a rancher and officer in the Kansas Army National Guard, will close the conference with an inspiring session on how shifting your mindset can transform your farm or ranch.

“Texas agriculture is very diverse, but we all face similar challenges,” Hayes said. “The Spring Conference provides a valuable opportunity for young farmers and ranchers to come together, discuss those challenges, explore solutions, celebrate successes, and most importantly, learn from one another. While it’s not always easy to step away from our farms and ranches, this conference make sit worthwhile. You get to meet other passionate individuals in agriculture and take away valuable information that applies to our farms and ranches.”

The conference will also feature the Collegiate Discussion Meet, which is a roundtable discussion of agricultural topics.

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.

“Collegiate Discussion Meet is a great contest for students to put their professional skills and knowledge base to use and win cash prizes along the way,” Roger Hall, TFB associate director of Organization Division, Leadership Development, said. “Students should not only come for the contest, but the networking opportunities and expertise shared by the speakers and fellow participants.”

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 2026.

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.

Registration for the YF&R Spring Conference and Collegiate Discussion Meet is open through Feb. 27.

Additional registration information, including costs and the signup link, can be found online at texasfarmbureau.org/YFR.