Foundation

The mission of the Montana Farm Bureau Foundation (MFBFo) is to support Montana agriculture through education, research, and community support, with a special emphasis for the development of our youth.

How does the MFB Foundation carry out its mission? Assisting in Education: Whether it’s funding an adult agricultural education program or providing materials to urban students, we realize that our support is fundamental in providing future leaders with the knowledge and skills they need in order to be effective. Encouraging Research: Recent improvements in technology have made agriculture both more efficient and more productive. In order to ensure and continue this current progression and to give Montana’s producers the most up-do-date information, we work closely with similarly-interested groups such as the College of Agriculture at MSU-Bozeman. Supporting Montana’s Rural Communities: Agriculture reaches every corner of the state and is the main artery of rural Montana. In giving youth the opportunity for leadership and offering educational programs, we work to broaden the impact of Montana agriculture.

With continued support, the MFB Foundation is able to offer yearly programs in an effort to promote youth education in agriculture, including: the annual Youth Speech Contest in November, Mini Grants throughout the year, the Bernard Greufe Honorary Scholarship, the Young Farmer and Rancher (YF&R) Scholarship to the American Farm Bureau Federation national YF&R leadership conference in February. Many other programs and funding opportunities support groups such as Agriculture in Montana Schools, Montana 4-H, Montana FFA and the Montana State University College of Agriculture.

MFBFo is a qualified charity under IRS tax code 501 (c) (3) making all donations tax deductible for our supporters.

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Melstone and Park City Youths wins Speech Contest

BILLINGS–Jack Jennaway, a 17-year-old from Melstone High School, won the Montana Farm Bureau Foundation

Youth Speech Contest – Senior Division – during the Montana Farm Bureau Convention in Billings Nov. 11. This was the second year Jennaway bested other competitors to win $400 for first place.

The topic was “What does the ability of agricultural youth to work alongside their relatives on a family farm or ranch mean to you, and what benefits for agriculture and young people are gained by farm and ranch in a family operation?”

Jennaway noted, “Because I grew up on a ranch, I have life experiences that are rare and extremely valuable. I’ve worked for as long as I can remember. Because of this, I know how to do what very few adults in this country seem to know how to do – work hard.”

Jennaway went on to say the Department of Labor rules that the government agency tried to enforce earlier this year would have not only stopped kids from working on farms and ranches, but diminished the FFA and 4-H. “If either of these two organizations did not exist, the best way to educate students about agriculture would be gone, and two of the biggest forces that develop misguided students into leaders of tomorrow would be gone.”

The second place in the senior division of the MFB Foundation Youth Speech contest was awarded to Trinity Lee of Drummond. Lee stated that although she didn’t grow up on a farm or ranch, a government rule not allowing kids to work in agriculture, “I realized this law could change everything. I live in a small rural community. Around home, youth work on their family ranches all of the time, that’s how they get spending cash and get their work done.”

Third place was awarded to Jamie Joelle Nelson of Red Lodge, who noted, “Works on a ranch is not something that you can do sitting on your couch and talking about it. I have been working cattle on the ranch with my Grandpa since I could sit a horse by myself, and since then I have been building up my own herd with his. The work ethics I have learned are things I would not have been able to learn in school.”

Heidi Froelich, a 13-year-old from Park City, won the Montana Farm Bureau Foundation Youth Speech Contest

Junior Division (14 and under) during the Montana Farm Bureau Convention in Billings Nov. 11. This was the first year Froelich competed in the speech contest, winning $400 for first place.

“I believe agricultural youth working alongside their relatives on family farms and ranches instills a great work ethic,” Froelich said in her speech. “Agricultural youth learn by doing, as said in the FFA motto. They learn to do different chores from feeding livestock to operating farm equipment from watching different generations work the family far/ranch. I believe if agricultural youth of America aren’t allowed to work on the family farms and ranches, it will be devastating to all of America.”

Second-place winner Eli Kutsch, from Bozeman, echoed the same sentiment. “When you have parents or relatives show you how to do something, you are not just gaining knowledge, but you are gaining their experience along with it. Agriculture not only teaches lessons to youth, but there are benefits youth can bring to agriculture in Montana by allowing them to work on family farms.”

The Speech Contest is an annual event hosted by the Montana Farm Bureau Foundation, which gives $1500 in prize money to first, second and third place winners in two divisions. The MFB Foundation’s mission is to support Montana agriculture through education, research and community support, with a special emphasis on the development of youth. The Montana Farm Bureau Convention runs Nov. 11-14 at the Billings Hotel and Convention Center.

For more information on ways you can “Invest in the Future of Agriculture” by supporting the Montana Farm Bureau Foundation, please call the state office at 1-800-823-2676 or email Scott Kulbeck at scottk@mfbf.org.