Young Farmers & Ranchers-Why We’re Here

A few years back, during my first year on my state’s young farmer committee, our group was working at a food bank one saturday morning, when a woman asked a friend of mine (who happens to be the current AFBF YF&R chairman) what group we were with. Ben responded that we were part of the young farmer group within Farm Bureau, and to our shock and amazement, this woman stated “I didn’t think there were any young farmers left!!” Well, obviously, this person, and I’m sure many others, have never attended the AFBF Annual Meeting, or as I like to call it, the “Superbowl of Young Farmer & Rancher Events”. This is where the best and brightest, the future of our industry, show off their talents and compete for some great prizes. But really, when you think about it, the prizes, contests, and all the pomp and circumstance don’t really mean all that much. What is really important is that we notice that another generation is stepping up to the plate, becoming involved, and working to make their mark on the industry we all love so much. My wife Alyssa and I had the honor of competing in these awards and being named a national runner up a few years back and yes, the awards are great. The travel is great. But the true impact lies what those contestants have done. 

So, as you enjoy the events of the week, make sure you catch up with these rising stars; and thank them for their involvement in our industry. As a former contestant, I can honestly say that my greatest accomplishment in the whole event was talking to other young farmers & ranchers and encouraging them to get involved. Because after all, a true leader is someone who challenges those around them to dream more, think more, do more, and act more.

agsalesman is Jeff VanderWerff, a 4th-generation fruit and grain farmer from Michigan. He loves food, farming, the land and politics. He is a proud agvocate and an aspiring speaker/presenter on social media. His Twitter name is @agsalesman. Read his blog at http://agsalesman.blogspot.com/.