YF&R Achievement Award Contest

The Missouri Young Farmer and Rancher contests are just around the corner. For young farmers and ranchers age 35 and under, now is the time to enter.

Print out the YF&R Achievement Award Application and Entry Form,and return the completed pages to the MFB home office no later than Sept. 12, 2008. After receiving applications, judges will narrow the field down to five entries. Those five will prepare a more extensive entry form and a new set of judges will choose the winner, along with two runners up.

The winner of the YF&R Achievement Award receives $500 from the MFB Foundation for Agriculture and $500 from Dodge. In addition to cash prizes, the winner receives a year's free use of a Kubota M Series diesel tractor (350 hour limit) with the option to purchase at the end of the year. The runners up also receive cash awards and plaques.

If you have any inquiries about the Achievement Award, please contact the MFB Field Services Department.

YF&R Discussion Meet Contest

Deadline for the YF&R Discussion Meet contest is November 14, 2008. Farm Bureau members must enter the contest through their county Farm Bureau. The County Secretary will e-mail to Field Services the entrant’s name, address, phone number, county of residence, date of birth and membership number.

Those selected will compete at the MFB Annual Meeting at Tan-Tar-A in December. Contestants will discuss one of four topics:

• How can the aging infrastructure of the United States support the transportation of agriculture commodities in the future?
• How do land grant universities remain on the forefront of an ever-changing agricultural enviromnment?
• How do we correct the misconceptions of Farm Bureau?
• After YF&R, how can Farm Bureau utilize the leaders it has developed?

The State Discussion Meet winner receives $500 from the MFB Foundation for Agriculture and $500 from Dodge.  In addition to cash prizes, the winner receives a year's free use (up to 150 hours) of a Case-IH Farmall tractor.

State winners of both YF&R contests will represent Missouri at the American Farm Bureau Federation Convention in San Antonio, Texas, in January 2009. They will receive three nights lodging at the Convention and a chance to win a brand new 2009 Dodge pickup.