“Farmers are a shrinking percentage of the population.  How can Farm Bureau help first-generation farmers and ranchers get started in agriculture?”

“How can farmers and ranchers maintain their buying power with the continued trend of input supplier and provider consolidations?”

Good questions, aren’t they?

These topics, and more, will be up for discussion during the 2017 Young Farmer and Rancher Discussion Meet.  Held on Monday, November 13 during the MFBF Annual Convention, young farmers and ranchers can put their critical thinking skills and ability to collaborate to the test.  The Discussion Meet is not a debate; this competition is evaluated on an exchange of ideas and information on a pre-determined topic. The judges are looking for the contestant that offers cooperation and communication while analyzing agricultural problems and developing solutions.

The winner of the Discussion Meet at MFBF Convention will receive an expense paid trip to compete in the Discussion Meet at the American Farm Bureau Annual Convention in Nashville, TN in January.  As an added ‘cherry on top’ the state winner will also receive a brand new Polaris Ranger generously donated by dealers across Montana.

If you’d like to see the rest of the topics for the 2017 YF&R Discussion Meet, you can find them here.  There’s also more discussion meet resources available on the MFBF website.

For questions about the contest and how to enter, contact Sue Ann Streufert at 406-587-3153 or sueanns@mfbf.org.