"Reality Farming" was the theme for the American Farm Bureau Young Farmers & Ranchers (YF&R) Leadership Conference held Feb 16-18 in Baltimore, Maryland.
Fourteen Washington Farm Bureau representatives attended the conference. Washington's delegation consisted of YF&R state chair Jaime Sackmann; state committee members Keith and Laura Middleton; President of the WSU Chapter of the WFB YF&R Committee and state committee member Megan McCary; YF&R state coordinator Kristen Hinton; and WSU students from the following counties: Kristen Boshart, Snohomish County; Michelle Carlsen, King County; Candi Wilson, Jimmy Sands, and Kent Stokes, Okanogan County; Nicole Groth, Yakima County; Matt Miller, Adams County; and Sage Shelton and Cassie Wyman, Kittitas County.
In all, the national conference attracted 830 attendees from 44 states.
A common theme regarding the importance of becoming an agricultural advocate and standing up for the industry was carried throughout the conference and evident in the presentations. Attendees heard from entertaining and informative speakers such as Trent Loos, who spoke about agricultural advocacy; Dr. Ron Hansen on the relationships of family farming generations; and Damian Mason, a humorist who spoke about agribusiness.
As Washington's Collegiate Discussion Meet winner, Sage Shelton of Kittitas County competed in the National Collegiate Discussion Meet competition and advanced to the Sweet 16. Shelton represented Washington with poise and confidence, speaking knowledgeably on a variety of complex issues including private property rights, water and the global economy.
Participants emerged from the conference inspired by having been with fellow young producers, sharing ideas, exchanging knowledge and making connections. There is already a buzz about the 2009 YF&R conference in Sacramento, California, February 7-9, 2009.
For more information about the WFB Young Farmers & Ranchers program, contact Kristen Hinton, YF&R Program Coordinator, at khinton@wsfb.com or call (360) 561-0387