YFA Contests

Farm Bureau members between the ages of 18 and 35 are eligible for the Achievement Award, Discussion Meet Contest and the Excellence in Agriculture Award.

The winners of these contests on the state level will compete at the American Farm Bureau Federation Annual Convention in San Antonio, Texas, January 12-15, 2014. They will also be guests at the GROWMARK, Inc. Annual Meeting and the Wisconsin Farm Bureau 2013 YFA Conference/Annual Meeting December 6-9. They will also have the opportunity to take part in the WFBF YFA Washington, D.C. trip.

Achievement Award
The Achievement Award judges participants on their involvement in agriculture, leadership ability, involvement and participation in Farm Bureau and other civic and service organizations.  Applicants must have derived a majority of their income from on farm production for the past three years. Rural Mutual Insurance Company will provide a free financial plan for the state winner.  The top ten applicants will receive a $50 FAST STOP gift card. FABCO Equipment Inc. will provide the WFBF state winner with 40 hours use of a FABCO 226 skid-steer loader.
Applications for the 2013 Achievement Award are due July 1, 2013.
2013 YFA Achievement Award Application
Frequently Asked Questions About the YFA Application

Excellence in Agriculture
The Excellence in Agriculture Award judges participants on their involvement in agriculture, leadership ability, involvement and participation in Farm Bureau and other civic and service organizations. Applicants must have derived a majority of their income from a non-production agribusiness enterprise for the past three years. Examples would be an agriculture teacher, fertilizer salesperson, veterinarian, farm employee, agricultural writer or marketer. All applicants receive a $50 FAST STOP gift card from GROWMARK Inc. The statewide winner receives a $250 FAST STOP gift card from GROWMARK, Inc. towards FS products.
Applications for the 2013 Excellence in Ag are due July 1, 2013.
2013 YFA Excellence in Ag Award Application
Frequently Asked Questions About the YFA Application

Discussion Meet
The Discussion Meet contest gives young members a chance to demonstrate their speaking skills on agricultural-related topics. Contestants are judged on their problem-solving skills as they discuss timely topics with their colleagues. Each of WFBF’s nine districts will hold a district meet competition this fall. The three finalists in each district will receive a $50 FAST STOP gift card from GROWMARK Inc. The statewide winner will also receive a chain saw from Midwest Stihl, Inc.

2012 YFA Discussion Meet Questions and Resources
2012 YFA District Discussion Meet Manual and Application
2012 Collegiate Discussion Meet Manual and Application
Keys for a Successful Discussion Meet Contestant

Question 1: Certain sectors of agriculture are labor intensive and rely heavily on immigrant workers.  What is a fair and balanced immigration policy?
Question 1 Resources 

Question 2: What can be done to encourage young farmers and ranchers to return home to the farm if it means living in a rural area that does not provide the same amenities as a metropolitan community?
Question 2 Resources 

Question 3:  How do we reach out to associate members to provide value to their membership?
Question 3 Resources 

Question 4: How should Farm Bureau help prepare its members—both young and old—for transferring operations to the next generation of farmers and ranchers? What is Farm Bureau’s role in encouraging more transfers?
Question 4 Resources 

Question 5: How can Farm Bureau play a role to ensure the viability of quality agricultural education programs within our schools?
Question 5 Resources