By Emmy Powell
Communications Specialist

Over 1,100 young farmers, ranchers and collegiate students gathered in Denver, Colorado to attend the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) FUSION Conference.

Texas Farm Bureau (TFB) was represented by two young ranchers and seven college students.

Among them were TFB Young Farmer & Rancher (YF&R) Advisory Committee members Ryan Yates and Zack Altman, Sam Huston State University student Brooke McCrumb, Tarleton University student Josie Swick, Texas A&M University student David Kendrick, West Texas A&M University students Bethany Martinek, Josie Thomas and Landon Langenbau, and Texas Tech University student Savannah Sinclair. Abigail Hawthorn, a student at Midwestern State University, represented Texas as an AFBF Social Media Ambassador.

Kendrick participated in the Collegiate Discussion Meet.

Keynote speakers included Josh Sundquist, Dr. Temple Grandin and AFBF President Zippy Duvall.

“Temple Grandin was amazing to listen to. I’ve read her research and watched her movie and idolized how she helped change the cattle industry and help us understand cattle more,” Altman said. “Being a cattle producer myself, it was nice to finally listen to her speak in person and meet her and have a conversation”

The group attended various breakout sessions to hear from industry leaders on consumer outreach, leadership development, member value, advocacy, outreach and education.

The conference brought young farmers and ranchers from across the nation to share experiences, learn and connect.

“We had a great time getting to meet and just talk and network with other Farm Bureau members from across the country,” Altman said. “We met other YF&R committee members outside of Texas and visited about their farms and their agricultural life. There’s a lot of diversity in how we do things all over the country,” Altman said.

Throughout the week, Altman noted the connections he made helped him gain new perspectives on issues farmers and ranchers face.

To wrap up the four-day conference, attendees could choose different tours highlighting Colorado, including Pikes Peak, JBS Foods, Lockheed Martin and Colorado State University’s Agricultural Research Development and Education Center, among others.

“It is great to get out and network with people who are going through some of the same things, whether it’s a financial struggle, growing a crop or a water situation,” Altman said.

For more information on the FUSION Conference, visit fb.org/event.

For more information on TFB’s YF&R program, visit texasfarmbureau.org/YFR.