By Daniel Jones

For fourth-generation California farmer Jocelyn Anderson, Farm Bureau is an organization that has enriched her life with opportunities to connect with people from across the country.

Jocelyn farms almonds and walnuts and operates a walnut huller on her family farm. Jocelyn was on the AFBF Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee from 2020-2022, serving as vice chair during the second year of her appointment. She was also on the California YF&R Committee for six years, with four of those years as part of the executive committee, serving as chair in 2022. She is currently the 1st vice president of Glenn County Farm Bureau, a farmer envoy for Solutions from the Land and a board member for her local California Resource Conservation District in the northern part of the state.

When asked how to get involved with Farm Bureau at any level, her answer was simple: “Just say YES!” There are so many unique ways to promote and share about farming. Jocelyn utilized the knowledge she gained through being involved with Farm Bureau to help further her advocacy and leadership skills, particularly identifying others’ leadership styles and qualities, helping to prepare her to work with others on governing boards.

Along with connecting with farmers and ranchers all over the country, Jocelyn has educated people outside of the agricultural sector on what practices farmers and ranchers use to be sustainable and climate-smart. Farmers and ranchers are some of the best stewards of the land, and she very much enjoys speaking to outside groups, informing them of innovative technologies.

Jocelyn states that one of the primary pieces of advice she was given while serving on the AFBF YF&R committee was to educate others on the importance of putting effort into advocacy and membership organizations, especially those that can help to protect the future of family farms and businesses.

Jocelyn’s story is one that focuses on the positive impact membership organizations can have across all levels of involvement. As she stays active at her local county Farm Bureau, she serves as an example for those both in California and at the national level of how to take on the opportunities within the Farm Bureau organization.

Daniel Jones serves on the AFBF YF&R Committee. He works in crop insurance, as well as raises beef cattle and grows hay, almonds and olives in California.

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The winner of the 2024 Farm Bureau Farm Dog of the Year, Skippy, and her owners, Donald and Laura Adams, are leveraging the award to bring awareness to a special role working dogs can play on farms across the country.

This comes after a major event five years ago that changed the Adams’ life and farming operation.

In 2019, Donald was working with his son on the farm when a hay bale weighing several hundred pounds bounced the wrong way. It struck him in the head, resulting in a broken neck and spinal cord injury. This injury left him completely paralyzed from the neck down.

Following his accident, Donald was at Shepherd Center, a rehabilitation facility specializing in spinal cord and brain injuries. It was there that he and Laura were introduced to AgrAbility, a program dedicated to supporting farmers, ranchers, agricultural workers and their families living with disabilities. It was also during this period that they met Kyle Haney, field services coordinator for AgrAbility in Georgia.

By the time Donald left Shepherd Center after several months, he had made progress in his recovery and could move with the help of a walker. However, returning to farm work required more than mobility alone. Haney was instrumental in securing the tools and resources through AgrAbility that were necessary for Donald's return to the farm.

Haney's support went beyond securing equipment. While at Shepherd’s, he connected Donald and Laura with P.H.A.R.M. Dog USA, a nonprofit dedicated to assisting farmers with disabilities by providing specially trained farm dogs. These dogs are trained to perform tasks that assist farmers with their daily operations on the farm, including managing livestock, retrieving or picking up dropped tools, opening latch gate systems, carrying buckets or running for help when needed.

Donald and Laura began conversations with Jackie Allenbrand, the founder of P.H.A.R.M. Dog USA, in hopes of being paired with a match. Their dreams were realized in October 2022 with the arrival of Skippy, their farm dog companion.

P.H.A.R.M. Dog Trainer Don McKay spent three days helping Skippy adjust to 200 beef cattle on pasture and worked closely with Donald and Laura to familiarize them with Skippy's trained commands. Since then, Skippy has been crucial in helping the couple operate the farm. Her primary role is to help move cattle, including cows and their calves, between pastures for grazing.

“Because we have Skippy to help us, everyday we’re doing something,” said Donald Adams. “If it wasn’t for her helping us with the cows to keep me busy, things might not be as good as they are now.”

Skippy had been a major component in Donald's return to the farm and Haney recognized this impact. He called Laura and suggested they enter Skippy into the Farm Dog of the Year contest sponsored by the American Farm Bureau Federation with support from Nestlé Purina PetCare.

Laura carefully answered questions, gathered photos and submitted Skippy’s Farm Dog of the Year nomination in summer 2023. In January 2024, Skippy was named the Farm Dog of the Year at the AFBF Convention in Salt Lake City, Utah.

While the couple was excited about Skippy winning the 2024 Farm Bureau Farm Dog of the Year award, they never expected where it would lead.

"I figured we’d be in a couple of magazines,” said Laura. “I never expected the Skippy train to keep going.”

Since winning the award, Laura has used every opportunity to highlight the potential role properly trained farm dogs can play in assisting farmers with disabilities. Her efforts have gained widespread media coverage and invitations to numerous speaking engagements.

Through each of these interactions, Laura has focused on three goals. Her first goal is to shine a light on P.H.A.R.M. Dog USA and offer support in the same way the organization has supported her family.

“One thing I want to happen out of all of this is to motivate people to help Jackie,” said Laura. “[I want to] help Jackie get corporate sponsors.”

Her second goal is to write a children’s book to help others understand farm dogs' jobs.

“We didn't know anything about farm dogs. I thought like everybody else, what do farm dogs do? Herd cattle, right?” said Laura in her speech at the 2024 AgrAbility National Training Workshop. “They do so much more than that.”

Her third and final goal is to help someone get off the couch. Skippy has helped her husband to return to the farm, and it's her mission to raise awareness of ways that others affected by farming accidents or living with disabilities can do the same.

Kylie Schakel was a summer 2024 intern in the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Communications and Executive Departments. She is a senior at Kansas State University.

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The University of Idaho Collegiate Young Farmers and Ranchers (YF&R) program recognizes the importance of exposing their members to all aspects of the agricultural industry. To do this, they organize industry tours each semester to introduce their members to various agricultural systems and technologies.

In the fall, Collegiate Farm Bureau members drove to Lewiston, Idaho, for a tour of a mill and timber grounds. Attendees learned about each step in the process of harvesting trees to produce wood products and more. Following the tour, they enjoyed a group lunch.

During the spring semester, members traveled to the Tri-Cities in Washington state to tour a meatpacking plant and seed facility. At the Tyson Foods beef processing facility in Pasco, Washington, attendees received a broad overview of the national meat processing system and heard about the important role the company performs in getting poultry, pork and beef to consumers. Participants also learned of the relationship Tyson has with the regional fast-food industry and witnessed the manufacturing of the fresh "square" patties being processed for delivery to Wendy's restaurants.

In the afternoon, students toured a state-of-the-art Syngenta Seed processing facility, focused on the processing and distribution of specialty vegetable seeds grown under irrigation in the central Washington basin.

Representatives explained the process involved in receiving, sorting and processing unique seed stock, which is distributed around the world, along with the science of propagating the seeds and adhering to strict quality standards throughout the process.

“Industry tours add variety and new learning experiences to our YF&R chapter,” said University of Idaho Collegiate Farm Bureau Chapter President Devin Schafer. “Exposure to new agricultural systems is invaluable and produces a well-rounded group of agriculturists.”

Outside of new learning experiences, the industry tours provided members an opportunity to network with industry leaders and build relationships amongst other chapter members.

“We are grateful to continue hosting these events and providing opportunities for anyone who wants to participate.” said Schafer.

To secure funding for the tours, the University of Idaho Collegiate Farm Bureau applied for a mini-grant offered by the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Young Farmers & Ranchers program. This grant provides $500 to Collegiate Farm Bureau chapters for activities such as recruitment, leadership development, community service, officer training, educational materials or conference registrations.

Collegiate Farm Bureau Mini-Grant Program

The 2024-2025 AFBF Collegiate Farm Bureau Mini-Grant program is open for applications through noon on Sept. 18. For more information about the program, including how to apply, visit fb.org/cfbgrants or email yfr@fb.org.

Since the program’s launch in fall 2017, AFBF has awarded over 70 mini-grants.

Collegiate Farm Bureau

There are over 120 Collegiate Farm Bureau chapters across the U.S., focused on empowering students to be united voices for agriculture, while building skills in leadership and communications, facilitating networking opportunities and offering scholarships.

Kylie Schakel was a summer 2024 intern in the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Communications and Executive Departments. She is a senior at Kansas State University.

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I’m a firm believer in having something to learn from everyone I encounter, even teenagers. And when it comes to learning about technology, “even” teenagers becomes “especially” teenagers.

That’s why Connected Nation has tapped into Gen Z to lead their “Teens Teach Tech” program through which teams of teens working with an adult mentor provide hands-on workshops, one-on-one mentorship sessions, virtual sessions and community events that cover a variety of digital skills, from basic computer literacy to understanding mobile devices, internet security and more.

Teams are self-formed and include two or more students in grades eight through 12 and an adult mentor who’s affiliated with a community organization, like a school, church, civic group, community center, county or state Farm Bureau or other nonprofit.

With funding from AT&T, Connected Nation provides training materials, support for mentors and financial incentives, all designed to be engaging, accessible and tailored to the needs of the community.

The program is a triple win – with the teens, mentors and workshop participants all gaining from this initiative.

For the students, it’s a unique opportunity to take a leadership role in their community and to enhance their resume. Their participation often earns them state- or county-required student service hours. Connected Nation also provides financial incentives.

“I’ve learned I love to help people, and especially being able to help older people with technology in general and helping them be able to be more comfortable with the technology,” said a teen trainer from Texas.

Mentors, too, have found their roles in guiding teens to meet what has become almost a basic need – an understanding of technology – to be very fulfilling.

“We take for granted that just because we know something, everybody else does, but there’s so many things that these teens have to offer to the older generation,” noted a mentor from Indiana.

In 2023, Teens Teach Tech trained 12,113 adult learners during 576 teen-led workshops in 17 states. The workshop offerings include internet basics, computer basics, cybersecurity, email basics, mobile device basics (Android and Apple) and video conferencing.

Learn more about the program and submit an interest form here.

Connected Nation

Connected Nation’s mission is to improve lives by providing innovative solutions that expand the access, adoption and use of high-speed internet and its related technologies. American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall is on the organization’s board of directors.

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EPA is inviting nominations for the Farm, Ranch, and Rural Communities Advisory Committee, which was created in 2008 to provide policy advice, information and recommendations to the EPA administrator on a range of environmental issues and policies that are important to agriculture and rural communities.

Among the topics that may be covered are climate change, water or air quality issues, pesticides, toxins, food loss and waste, environmental justice, emergency response, enforcement and compliance, and technology and innovation.

The eligibility criteria for the committee are detailed in this Federal Register post and include being actively engaged in farming, occupying a senior position within their organization and holding leadership positions in ag-related organizations, businesses or workgroups.

Committee members are appointed to two- or three-year terms during which they will meet twice a year, usually in Washington, D.C.

Along with eligibility criteria, nomination information is also available in the Federal Register post. The nomination deadline is Sept. 5. If you are interested in serving on the committee, please contact your state Farm Bureau.

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California’s newest county Farm Bureau – the first chartered in the state in nearly 40 years – is dedicated to nurturing local agriculture and enhancing urban food security education in San Francisco, the 17th-largest U.S. city.

Its creation was spearheaded by California Treasurer Fiona Ma, who previously served in the California State Assembly representing San Francisco. Having committed to understanding California's vast agricultural landscape and participated in more than 220 farm tours, Ma was surprised San Francisco, her home for 30-plus years, didn’t have a Farm Bureau.

She traveled to California Farm Bureau’s annual meeting in December 2023 to personally pitch delegates on the proposal.

“We want to do more to educate our young people in terms of Ag in the Classroom and Ag Day, and make sure that they have the same opportunities so that they appreciate all of the hard work that you all do,” Ma told attendees. “I wanted to make sure that we protected our farmers and our ranchers, so we don’t have to depend on other countries or other states for our food.”

The San Francisco Farm Bureau was established following a year of diligent planning and collaboration with local agriculture enthusiasts and has been officially chartered by the California Farm Bureau.

"We welcome the San Francisco Farm Bureau into our community," said California Farm Bureau President Shannon Douglass. "This expansion represents a significant step toward incorporating urban areas into the broader agricultural conversation of our state."

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Each year, the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Young Farmers and Ranchers program awards mini-grants of $500 to Collegiate Farm Bureau chapters across the U.S. The award aims to help chapters reach their goal of empowering students to be united voices for agriculture, while building skills in leadership and communications, facilitating networking opportunities and offering scholarships.

South Dakota State University – Brookings, South Dakota

South Dakota State University spearheaded the planning for a day-long industry tour with Mitchell Technical College and Lake Area Technical College. Beginning at a large dairy farm, students toured the facility while learning about issues the dairy industry is facing, as well as employment opportunities in the sector. After the tour, students enjoyed a meal while networking with one another before participating in a leadership development activity. Later they heard from stakeholders who discussed opportunities in Farm Bureau and how to continue involvement after college.

The planning process started nine months prior to the event to coordinate with college schedules, speakers and transportation. Forty-two Collegiate Farm Bureau members attended the event and shared that the experience was valuable and applicable to their lives. The mini-grant SDSU received helped jump-start the fundraising process. They look forward to planning more industry tours in the future.

Murray State University – Murray, Kentucky

The Murray State University Collegiate Farm Bureau chapter utilized their mini-grant to attend the national Young Farmers and Ranchers conference in Omaha, Nebraska. Seven students and two advisors met with other Collegiate Farm Bureau chapters from across the country during the four-day conference. One student, Isiah Pruitt, competed in the Sweet 16 Collegiate Discussion Meet.

Attendees participated in community service activities, networking events, leadership workshops and an outing at the Omaha Zoo. They learned a variety of things at the conference and collectively agreed the experience made them want to continue their involvement in Farm Bureau well beyond their collegiate careers.

College of the Ozarks – Point Lookout, Missouri

The College of the Ozarks Collegiate Farm Bureau chapter has partnered with Bridge of Faith, a church located in Rockaway Beach, Missouri, for many years. Each Wednesday, Bridge of Faith works with local youth to help them learn about God’s creation through agriculture. They do this by pairing Bible stories with different activities as they work together to maintain a community garden. The food grown in the garden is then prepared for the children to enjoy after each activity.

College of the Ozarks Collegiate Farm Bureau applied for a mini-grant to provide Bridge of Faith with a new composter and irrigation equipment so they can continue to expand their program. After receiving the grant, the Collegiate Farm Bureau members helped install the equipment and spent time volunteering with the attendees.

Washington State University – Pullman, Washington

Washington State University Collegiate Farm Bureau used their mini-grant to send five members to Washington Farm Bureau’s Annual Meeting where they competed in the Discussion Meet. The mini-grant helped to offset their travel expenses and minimize stress related to attendance costs.

“The Collegiate Farm Bureau Mini-Grant Program has given our members the chance to expand their knowledge on how they can contribute to our state, college and local communities,” said WSU Collegiate Farm Bureau member Hallie Sciera. “By being able to attend Washington’s Annual Meeting without the worry of hotel fees, our members learned about the farm bill, how to network with fellow farmers and policy members and how their voice can make an impact in the world.”

Collegiate Farm Bureau Mini-Grant Program

The 2024-2025 AFBF Collegiate Farm Bureau Mini-Grant program is open for applications through Sept. 21. For more information about the program, including how to apply, visit fb.org/cfbgrants or email yfr@fb.org.

Since the program’s launch in fall 2017, AFBF has awarded over 70 mini-grants.

Collegiate Farm Bureau

There are over 120 Collegiate Farm Bureau chapters across the U.S., focused on empowering students to be united voices for agriculture, while building skills in leadership and communications, facilitating networking opportunities and offering scholarships.

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For the eighth consecutive year, the Western Illinois University Collegiate Farm Bureau has supported local farmers through their annual Harvest Bag project.

Collegiate Farm Bureau members worked together to assemble more than 200 bags, each containing water, snacks and a thank you note. After preparing the bags, members split into groups and delivered them to farmers in four counties during harvest.

“When you think about it, not many farmers get recognition for going out in the field during harvest and spending pretty much every day, all day, there for weeks,” said Western Illinois Collegiate Farm Bureau President Kaitlin Tapley. “This is our way of showing those farmers that we appreciate them and what they do for the world.”

New this year, the chapter expanded their project beyond McDonough County to include Schuyler, Fulton and Adams counties. The Harvest Bag project was made possible through a $500 grant awarded by the American Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers mini-grant program. The grant supports Collegiate Farm Bureau chapters in recruitment, leadership development, community service outreach, officer development, purchase of educational materials and/or registration costs for conferences.

“This mini-grant is what helps our chapter continue to give back and help farmers want to continue to be in the agriculture industry,” said Tapley.

Collegiate Farm Bureau Mini-Grant Program

The 2024-2025 AFBF Collegiate Farm Bureau Mini-Grant program is open for applications through noon on Sept. 18. For more information about the program, including how to apply, visit fb.org/cfbgrants or email yfr@fb.org.

Since the program’s launch in fall 2017, AFBF has awarded over 70 mini-grants.

Collegiate Farm Bureau

There are over 120 Collegiate Farm Bureau chapters across the U.S., focused on empowering students to be united voices for agriculture, while building skills in leadership and communications, facilitating networking opportunities and offering scholarships.

Kylie Schakel was a summer 2024 intern in the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Communications and Executive Departments. She is a senior at Kansas State University.

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During a strategic planning meeting in 2018, Texas Farm Bureau outlined a goal to enhance and expand its educational outreach to millions of Texans. The Speak Out for Agriculture (SOFA) Challenge was created in partnership with Heart O’ Texas Fair and Rodeo to promote youth interest in agriculture and develop informed consumers.

SOFA Challenge Overview

First hosted in 2021, the SOFA Challenge is a two-day event consisting of four rounds of competition. On day one, participants are given a topic and one hour to research and prepare a 90-second response, which they then present to a panel of judges. Once all participants complete the first two rounds, scores are totaled, and the top 16 scorers advance to the Sweet Sixteen.

The Sweet Sixteen occurs on day two, shifting from a stand-and-deliver format to a discussion-based format. Similar to day one, a topic is drawn for the Sweet Sixteen round, and students are given one hour to prepare before delivering a brief opening statement. They then have 20-25 minutes to discuss the topic collectively in front of the judges.

After the Sweet Sixteen, the process is repeated with the Final Four. Students are given a new topic and time to prepare before completing an additional discussion. Once completed, judges tally their scores to deliver a final placing. 

The contest is open to 4-H and FFA high school students across the state. Participants are encouraged to view the challenge as a collective conversation, not a debate. They should remain flexible and open to fluid discussion as they work together to solve agricultural issues.

SOFA Challenge awards are quite generous, encouraging steep competition amongst participants. The top 16 individuals each receive a $125 gift card and the top four scorers receive a monetary scholarship, a custom jacket and a banner.

SOFA Challenge Impact

The event is only two days in length, but to be successful, participants must ready themselves by understanding current issues facing agriculture while preparing their thoughts and opinions on solutions to these issues.

“The SOFA Challenge expands and challenges participants’ existing thoughts, ideas and attitudes toward emerging and critical issues in agriculture,” said Whit Weems, director of Organization at Texas Farm Bureau. “A prepared SOFA Challenge participant will research the critical and emerging issues presented prior to competition weekend, thus increasing their knowledge on the topics.”

Local county Farm Bureau members and leaders serve as resources to participants as they prepare for the contest. They help students understand current issues in agriculture, the importance of grassroots leadership and how Farm Bureau advocates for farmers and ranchers across the U.S.  

The 2024 SOFA Challenge will be hosted on Sept. 28-29 in Waco. For more information and to view the 2024 Challenge Manual, visit Texas Farm Bureau’s Youth Opportunities webpage.

New Horizon Award

The Speak Out for Agriculture Challenge garnered Texas Farm Bureau a 2024 New Horizon Award from the American Farm Bureau Federation. The award, which honors state Farm Bureaus with the most innovative new programs, is presented annually at the AFBF Convention.

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When Matthew Myers got involved with Agriculture Future of America (AFA) during his senior year at Oklahoma State University, he didn’t imagine it would eventually lead to a career in Washington, D.C. Through AFA’s cornerstone event, AFA Leaders Conference – a four-day, four-track professional development and networking event for undergraduate students in food, agriculture and natural resources – the direction of Myers’ path was set.

“A huge Opportunity Fair takes place during the AFA Leaders Conference each year and promotes meaningful connections between industry representatives and aspiring students. I was able to engage with AFBF staff who shared about Farm Bureau opportunities for young professionals,” Myers said.

For AFBF, Leaders Conference provides a venue for staff to meet with top talent in agriculture to promote an understanding and appreciation for the mission of Farm Bureau, so students value its role in agriculture as they enter the workforce. It is also a space to promote state and D.C.-based internship opportunities, full-time jobs and the benefits of membership – such as involvement in Young Farmers & Ranchers, Collegiate Farm Bureau and opportunities like the Social Media Ambassador program.

As a December graduate, Leaders Conference also offered the perfect opportunity for Myers to hear about full-time roles at various organizations, including AFBF. A quick conversation at the Farm Bureau booth in the Opportunity Fair led to a job application, which eventually brought Myers to Washington, D.C., as a public policy analyst for AFBF.

“During the Opportunity Fair, I was thrilled to discover the diverse career paths within agriculture that extended well beyond traditional farming and ranching. I realized that my future lay in agricultural policy, and both AFA and AFBF played pivotal roles in making that vision a reality. My previous internship on Capitol Hill with a member of the House Committee on Agriculture gave me firsthand insight into the significant impact farmers and ranchers have when they share their stories. In my current role, I am privileged to listen to these stories and help amplify them to legislators and other key stakeholders in D.C., who might not otherwise hear them,” Myers said.

Connections like these emphasize the importance of AFBF’s strategic partnerships with youth-serving agriculture organizations like 4-H, FFA, Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences, and AFA. Each serves to develop young agriculturists and beginning professionals who can positively contribute to their local agriculture communities and generate new ideas and leadership for county Farm Bureaus.

Sharing more about his experience with AFA, Myers reflects, “I was able to meet driven, passionate and dedicated students, many of whom have become close friends, colleagues and even roommates in the D.C. area and beyond.”

AFA alumni go on to serve as pivotal leaders within agriculture and community organizations and are prepared to make a difference in their places of work. Matthew Myers serves as an amazing example of what is possible through the intentional partnership between AFBF and AFA, which was solidified through a memorandum of understanding in January 2023.

2024 AFA Leaders Conference

Farm Bureau members should encourage college students in food, agriculture and natural resources to apply for the transformational experience that is AFA Leaders Conference. Applications can be found at agfuture.org/experiences/afa-leaders-conference.

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