Oklahoma Farm Bureau’s Young Farmers and Ranchers held their annual conference July 10-11 in Stillwater, where more than 50 young agriculturalists gathered to learn about agriculture, expand their leadership capabilities and make connections.
The group of young leaders from around the state heard from a variety of presenters on a wide range of agricultural topics during the two-day event.
Jane McGuire with the Center for Food Integrity presented CFI’s Engage training, where attendees learned to how to tell their agriculture story by using shared values to connect and transparently discuss consumers’ food concerns. During the session, participants spent time developing agricultural messages and sharing their ideas with fellow young agriculturalists.
Daniel Bays, California Farm Bureau YF&R state committee member, shared his experience working on his family’s Central Valley farm raising almonds, walnuts, tomatoes, cantaloupe and more. Bays shared the advances California agriculture has made when it comes to conserving water, ensuring maximum efficiency and minimal waste. Bays also discussed the increasing regulatory landscape California farmers and ranchers face on a daily basis.
John Collison, OKFB’s vice president of public policy, shared with the group the importance of the upcoming state constitutional amendment SQ 777 and how agriculture can help ensure its passage. Representatives from SST Software in Stillwater showed the group SST’s latest mobile app and how it can be used in the field for farm management.
The conference was bookended by tours. YF&R members opened the conference at Oklahoma State University’s Robert M. Kerr Food and Agricultural Products Center, where they learned about FAPC’s mission to help Oklahoma individuals and companies develop, process, package and market new food products and much more. The conference concluded after a tour of Oklahoma State University’s athletic facilities.
OKFB’s YF&R program is open to Farm Bureau members ages 18-35 who are interested in education, leadership and personal growth in agriculture.
