By Julie Tomascik
Editor
Leadership, succession planning and agricultural advocacy were among the topics highlighted during the Texas Farm Bureau Young Farmer & Rancher (YF&R) Spring Conference.
The event, hosted by Texas Farm Bureau (TFB) March 31-April 2 in Grapevine, provided networking and educational opportunities for farmers, ranchers, agricultural professionals and college students.
“The conference brought together young individuals involved in agriculture and allowed everyone to learn from each other and from industry experts,” Adrienne Synatschk, TFB’s YF&R Advisory Committee chair, said.
Leadership
The conference sessions began with a dive into leadership discussions.
Ken Noble with Noble Leadership Solutions addressed different attributes of a leader and emphasized that a leader’s network is their net worth, meaning the relationships they establish are valuable in many ways.
“He stressed that everybody is a leader in their own way, which I think is extremely important for the group we had attend the Spring Conference,” she said. “Agriculture needs leaders in our communities, schools, organizations and government, and those positions can be filled by us.”
Succession planning
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 70% of land ownership for family farms and ranches will change hands during the next 15 years.
That makes succession planning extremely important for agriculture.
Dr. Ron Hanson, emeritus professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, noted many difficulties and challenges come with discussing succession planning.
Most agricultural families realize the importance and the need for a succession plan in order for their farming legacy to continue, but very few families accomplish the goal of executing the succession plan, he said.
“You can’t avoid the real life ‘what if’ issues. Those conversations need to happen now because you don’t know when ‘what if’ might happen,” he said.
A study conducted by AgriLegacy found that only 20% of farm families have a succession plan in place and that only 5% of family farms will survive to the third generation without a plan.
“A strategy for success is to expect the unexpected, be prepared and have a contingency plan,” Hanson said.
Agricultural careers
A panel of farmers and ranchers shared their experiences and challenges of getting started in agriculture and growing their operations. They also shared about their careers—both in and out of agriculture.
“The panelists also discussed ways to grow within organizations like TFB and generational dynamics in agriculture,” Syntaschk said.
The panelists, all TFB members, included Jay Clark, Emilee Haubner, Austin Miles and Jarod Root.
Economic outlook
Another panel discussed an economic outlook and trending issues in agriculture.
Dr. Jeffrey Geider with TCU Institute of Ranch Management, Laura Henson with Tarleton State University and Tracy Tomascik with TFB shared their forecast of 2023 agricultural markets.
“They discussed an economic outlook and other trending issues in agriculture right now,” Synatschk said. “Markets are ever changing, and an economic outlook is vital to agricultural producers. It was also important to hear about consumer preferences related to agricultural products, as well as agricultural issues being discussed in the state legislature and in Congress.”
Fun activities
The conference included some fun, too.
A Jenga tournament and a DJ Bingo competition provided opportunities for conference attendees to network and build new relationships while also earning prizes.
“A little competition is always fun, and that was definitely part of the Jenga tournament and DJ Bingo activity,” Synatschk said. “It’s great to have education and a little fun mixed in at our meetings.”
Growing relationships
The three-day Spring Conference sparked dialogue and inspired growth for the young agricultural leaders.
“Networking is such an important part of this event,” she said. “Whether you’re a college student or 35 years old working in agriculture, common ground can be found, and we can help one another in various ways, which is vital for agriculture’s future success.”
Over 100 young farmers, ranchers, ag professionals and college students between the ages of 18 and 35 were in attendance.
“Texas agriculture has a bright future, and young leaders in agriculture are stepping into leadership roles in agricultural businesses and on farms and ranches,” Synatschk said.
And each is leaving their mark on Texas agriculture, building a legacy to pass on to the next generation.
The conference also featured the Collegiate Discussion Meet, where Ryan Heitschmidt of West Texas A&M University earned the top honor and will advance to represent TFB in the national contest next year.
Upcoming YF&R events
Upcoming YF&R activities include the Summer Social set for July 14-16 in Arlington and the Fall Tour, which is scheduled for Sept. 8-10 in Kerrville. Registration and details will be announced later this spring.
For more information on young farmer and rancher activities, visit texasfarmbureau.org/YFR or email youngfarmers@txfb.org.
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