Young farmers attend Farm Bureau YF&R Leadership Conference

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Taking a break from work on farms and ranches across the state, more than 550 young farmers and ranchers gathered for the annual Missouri Farm Bureau (MOFB) Young Farmers and Ranchers (YF&R) Leadership Conference. The Feb. 7-9 event was held at the Lake of the Ozark’s Margaritaville Lake Resort. Young farmers from Stoddard County enjoyed a weekend away from farm chores to catch up with their peers from across the state and learn new things in the process.

The event is organized by Farm Bureau’s YF&R Committee for farmers ages 18 to 35. MOFB President Blake Hurst, a farmer from Westboro and a past YF&R committee chair, kicked off the conference Friday evening. He told young farmers their voice matters on big issues such as property rights, trade, flood control and new crops like hemp. Involvement in groups like Farm Bureau is important for their farms and ranchers, he said. Get acquainted sessions gave everyone a chance to connect with members in their own areas of the state. They then gathered in teams to test their knowledge during a trivia benefit for the MOFB Foundation for Agriculture.

Saturday was a day to gain new insights on farming. Breakout sessions were varied. There was production-oriented information on pasture fertility and cow herd health. One session looked at the market for industrial hemp and another on preparing quick meals in InstaPot cooking. Children had their own sessions to learn about popcorn and soybeans. More sessions in the afternoon touched on how to advocate for agriculture, as well crafting and wine and beer tastings.

The Saturday banquet found conference attendees dressed in their finest for a Hollywood Red Carpet evening. Featured speaker Gary Moore gave tips on how the farmers and ranchers can better use time management for both work and play.

Retiring chair of the YF&R Committee, Jamie Johansen of Lebanon passed her responsibilities over to new chair Tanner Clark of Seymour. The YF&R chair serves on the MOFB board of directors in an advisory capacity for one year.

During the conference, Clarissa Cauthorn of Thompson won the annual YF&R Discussion Meet contest. Cauthorn, representing Audrain County, competed against five other contestants in two rounds, winning $500 from the MOFB Foundation for Agriculture and $500 from Ford Motor Company. She also won a trip to San Diego, California, to compete at the national contest in January during the American Farm Bureau Annual Meeting. Second place and national contest alternate went to Joseph Stokes from Brighton. Stokes represented Polk County.

The MOFB YF&R Conference is hosted by a committee of up to 30 young farmers. Dozens of businesses and individuals sponsor the conference with Missouri Farm Bureau Insurance Companies the presenting sponsor. Those attending from Stoddard County included: Jason Huey, Millie, Drew, Luke, Jake and Amber Huey.