Agricultural News
Oklahoma Farm Bureau Young Farmers & Ranchers High Achievers Head to Music City Next Week to Represent Oklahoma at AFBF Convention
Thu, 28 Dec 2017 05:32:05 CST
Three members of the Oklahoma Farm Bureau Young Farmers & Ranchers program will represent Oklahoma in national YF&R contests at the American Farm Bureau Federation Annual Meeting Jan. 5-10 in Nashville, Tennessee.
The winner of this year's Oklahoma YF&R Achievement Award, Chad Selman of Tulsa County will compete to win the AFBF YF&R Achievement Award. Selman won the award for his dedication to improving and growing his farm, which consists of pecan orchards and cattle in Tulsa County. Selman, along with his wife Katrina, also harvest pecans for other farmers and landowners in the area, and he sorts and stores pecans for the wholesale market.(Pictured here is Selman with wife Katrina receiving his award at the 2017 Oklahoma Farm Bureau convention)
The award recognizes young farmers and ranchers who have excelled in their farm or ranch and have honed their leadership abilities to superiority. Participants are involved in production agriculture with a majority of their income subject to normal production risks. The 2018 YF&R Achievement Award winner will receive their choice of a brand new 2018 Ford truck, sponsored by Southern Farm Bureau Life Insurance.
Brent Howard of Jackson County Farm Bureau will compete in the AFBF YF&R Discussion Meet, after winning the state competition at the annual meeting in November. Brent's wife, Jennifer, won the Oklahoma Farm Bureau's Discussion Meet in 2016 and represented Oklahoma at the national contest a year ago.
"The discussion meet is just great in the aspect of it really gets you thinking about questions that are current events and currently major issues affecting farming and a lot of times affecting the younger generation," Howard said. "It's really nice to have an opportunity to have input as we affect policy for the state level."
An attorney specializing in tax and estate planning, Howard also assists with his family farm northeast of Altus, Oklahoma.
The discussion meet event simulates a committee meeting where discussion and active participation are expected from each participant. Participants build basic discussion skills, develop a keen understanding of important agricultural issues and explore how groups can pool knowledge to reach consensus and solve problems. The winner of the AFBF YF&R Discussion Meet will receive their choice of a brand new 2018 Ford truck, sponsored by Farm Bureau Financial Services.
Stephens County Farm Bureau's Dell Farris will represent Oklahoma in the AFBF YF&R Excellence in Agriculture award competition. He was named the 2017 OKFB YF&R Excellence in Agriculture winner at the OKFB Annual Meeting in November. "It's a real honor," Farris said of receiving the award. "I'm proud to be able to represent Oklahoma, my family and Stephens County."
A fourth-generation family farmer and rancher, Farris raises cattle and grows wheat and hay with his father and grandfather in Stephens County, Oklahoma. Farris works off the farm as a banker where he specializes in production agriculture loans.
"Agriculture is ultimately where I want to be," Farris said. "My job allows me to be in agriculture, but being on the farm (full time) some day is the long term goal."
The award spotlights young Farm Bureau members who are agricultural enthusiasts but have not earned a majority of their income from an owned production agriculture enterprise in the past three years. Competitors are evaluated on their understanding of agricultural issues, leadership experiences and achievement, and their ability to communicate their agricultural story. The winner of the Excellence in Agriculture award also will receive their choice of a brand new 2018 Ford truck, sponsored by Country Financial.
The third place finalists in each of the three AFBF YF&R competitive events will receive $2,000 worth of Stanley Black & Decker merchandise including PROTO, DeWalt, Stanley, Lenox and Irwin products, all courtesy of Black & Decker.
Second, third and fourth places finalists of the three events will receive a range of Case IH products, thanks to Case IH.
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