Fifteen young producers were selected to serve on Texas Farm Bureau’s (TFB) 2024 Young Farmer & Rancher Advisory Committee.

Each individual will serve a one-year term.

Advisory committee members are responsible for recommending, promoting and evaluating programs and activities that encourage young people to become involved in Farm Bureau at the local, state and national levels.

“The Young Farmer & Rancher Program prepares young producers and ag professionals to make an impact on our communities, Texas agriculture, Farm Bureau and our businesses. The numerous networking opportunities, information and resources available helps grow the next generation of Texas agriculture,” Jay Clark, YF&R Advisory Committee chair, said.

The committee plans the YF&R Spring Conference, Summer Social and Fall Tour, as well as some regional meetings.

Want to get involved or meet your YF&R district committee representative? Check out the committee information below or visit texasfarmbureau.org/YFR.

Meet the 2024 TFB Young Farmer & Rancher Advisory Committee.

Jay Clark | Brown County (chair)
Jay Clark and his wife, Francie, raise beef cattle and hair sheep, as well as operate a feedyard in Brown County. Jay is active in agricultural advocacy efforts, serving on the Brown County Farm Bureau board of directors and is a graduate of Texas Farm Bureau’s AgLead program, a two-year leadership development program. The Clarks were finalists in Texas Farm Bureau’s Outstanding Young Farmer & Rancher contest.

Morgan Hodges | Coke-Sterling County (vice chair)
Morgan Hodges and her husband, Kade, own and operate Hodges Livestock. They raise Royal White stud rams and replacement ewes, commercial cattle, and commercial goats. Morgan graduated from Texas A&M University with a bachelor’s degree in animal science and a minor in business. She completed her master’s degree in beef cattle production with a minor in beef cattle nutrition from University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a certificate in ranch management and beef industry leadership from Angelo State University. Morgan serves on the Coke-Sterling County Farm Bureau board of directors. The couple were finalists in Texas Farm Bureau’s Outstanding Young Farmer & Rancher contest.

Giovana Benitez | Hidalgo County
Giovana Benitez fell in love with agriculture and the cattle industry growing up. She earned a bachelor’s degree in finance and economics and master’s degrees in ranch management and international agriculture. Giovana serves on the Hidalgo County Farm Bureau board of directors. She currently manages a cow-calf operation and runs a stocker operation with cattle sourced from local ranchers and sale barns.

Brandon Boerner | Hunt County
Brandon Boerner and his wife, Kaitlyn, are part owners and operators of their family’s fifth-generation farm. They grow wheat, peanuts, oats, and maintain a cow-calf herd in Grayson and Hunt counties. Brandon also works for SMA, Inc. – America’s Ag Parts Supplier.

Chase T. Brooke | Parker County
Chase T. Brooke is the Extension Program Specialist for Small Acreage Wildlife Management with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension & the Department of Rangeland, Wildlife & Fisheries Management. He is responsible for developing, implementing, and evaluating programs on small acreage property and wildlife management. He serves on the Parker County Farm Bureau board of directors and in various other volunteer roles in his community. Chase also works on his family’s ranch managing wildlife habitat and maintaining a robust native rangeland restoration program. Chase was the Texas Farm Bureau 2022 Discussion Meet contest winner.

Sarah Galloway | Dallas County
Sarah Galloway is an agricultural science teacher and FFA advisor in an urban school district in North Texas. She continues to help on her family’s farm growing forage crops and raising commercial cattle. She is involved with the Dallas County Farm Bureau and serves on the board of directors.

Emilee Haubner | Lampasas County
Emilee Haubner is the owner of WCD Agricultural Management Consulting where she mentors leaders in agriculture and shares how to steward the land and animals. In addition to her consulting business, Emilee raises commercial goats, trains horses and manages ranches. She is a passionate agricultural advocate and a fourth-generation farmer and rancher, as well as a professional speaker. She is participating in Texas Farm Bureau’s two-year leadership development program—AgLead XVI.

Hailey Hayes | Calhoun County
Hailey Hayes and her husband, Cassidy, grow corn, cotton, soybeans and run a 90-sow show pig operation, raising show pigs for exhibitors nationwide. The couple also raise show cattle. Hailey was an agriculture science teacher for 11 years before transitioning into her role as the County Agriculture and Natural Resources agent in Calhoun County. She is a graduate of Texas Farm Bureau’s AgLead-FarmLead program, and the couple won Texas Farm Bureau’s 2023 Outstanding Young Farmer & Rancher contest.

Madalynn Kainer | Victoria County
Madalynn Kainer is the assistant manager at the Washington County Fair in Brenham. She graduated from Texas A&M University with a bachelor’s degree in agricultural communications and journalism and her master’s degree in agricultural leadership, education and communications. She grew up on a row crop farm in Victoria County. Madalynn won the Texas Farm Bureau 2018 Discussion Meet and competed at the national contest.

Colby McClendon | Collin County
Colby McClendon is a sixth-generation farmer growing wheat, grain-sorghum, oats, soybeans, corn and hay. Colby also has a custom harvester operation. Together, he and his wife, Ashley, raise cattle and manage a farm-to-table meat market in their community. His family’s farm was awarded the Texas Department of Agriculture’s Family Heritage award for remaining in agriculture for 100 years. Colby serves on the Collin County Farm Bureau board of directors.

Mason Parish | Montgomery County
Mason Parish’s passion for agriculture started on his family’s small cow-calf operation in Montgomery County. He continues to assist his family with raising Santa Gertrudis cattle, while also advising small and large companies to improve business operations with a focus on agriculturally-related clients. Mason also serves on the Montgomery County Farm Bureau board of directors, and he and his wife, Shannon, plan to start an agritourism farm.

Jacob Silhan | Cochran County
Jacob Silhan began farming at a young age on his family’s farm in Cochran County. Over the years, he has grown several different crops, including wheat, grain sorghum, corn, black-eyed peas, peanuts, and upland and pima cotton. Jacob and his wife, Railey, operate a large row crop operation, and he serves on the Cochran County Farm Bureau board of directors.

Jouwert Talsma | Franklin County
Jouwert Talsma and his wife, Amber, own and operate a dairy farm in Franklin County alongside his parents and sister. The dairy operation includes 300 milking cows, and they produce milk for Dairy Farmers of America. Jouwert primarily practices no-till farming and grows forage for feed. He also serves on the Franklin County Farm Bureau board of directors. Together, Jouwert and Amber are raising their four kids in agriculture.

Kristin Warner | Hays County
Kristin Warner works as a regional sales and marketing manager for Greif, Inc.—an agricultural packaging company. Kristin is a graduate of Texas Farm Bureau’s AgLead-FarmLead program and is an active member of Hays County Farm Bureau where she serves as secretary. She was the winner of Texas Farm Bureau’s 2022 Excellence in Agriculture contest. Kristin has worked in a variety of roles with Syngenta Crop Protection and Seeds, including grower and dealer engagement, trail development and industry involvement. Kristin is the current president of the Texas Watermelon Association.

Ryan Yeatts | Montague County
Ryan Yeatts is a seventh-generation Texan, and his family has been farming and ranching for over 100 years. Ryan earned a bachelor’s degree in animal science with a minor in agricultural economics and certificate of meat science from Texas A&M University, as well as a master’s degree in meat science. He is a recipient of the Rachel Hamilton Meat Judging Award. He continues to stay involved in agriculture and works as an operations and business analyst at Standard Meat Company.

More information
For more information about the YF&R program, the YF&R Advisory Committee and opportunities available, visit texasfarmbureau.org/YFR.