American Farm Bureau Honors Young Farmers and Ranchers

Jan 12, 2022

Winners of the Young Farmers & Ranchers Achievement Award, Discussion Meet and Excellence in Agriculture competitions were announced at the American Farm Bureau’s 103rd Convention. Young farmers and ranchers from around the country competed for the awards by demonstrating knowledge, achievement and commitment to promoting agriculture.

young-farmers-and-ranchers — Jacob and Jill Smoker, Achievement Award winners; AFBF President Zippy Duvall; YF&R Committee Chair Jon Iverson; and Melissa Bufford, account supervisor, Ford.

Achievement Award

Jacob and Jill Smoker of Indiana won the Achievement Award. They are the winners of a new Ford vehicle, courtesy of Ford. In addition, they will receive paid registration to the AFBF Young Farmers & Ranchers Conference, which will be held Feb. 25-28 in Louisville, Kentucky, also courtesy of Ford.

The runner-up in the Achievement Award contest is Ryan MacKay of Massachusetts. He will receive a Case IH Farmall 50A tractor, courtesy of Case IH. Roger and Amanda Scott of Virginia won third place, receiving a Case IH 40” Combination Roll Cabinet and Top Chest and a $500 Case IH parts card, courtesy of Case IH, as well as a $2,500 Investing in Your Future cash prize, courtesy of American Ag. In addition, they will take home $1,850 worth of Stanley Black & Decker merchandise, courtesy of Stanley Black & Decker. Fourth-place finalist Chad Bell of Illinois receives a Case IH 40” Combination Roll Cabinet and Top Chest and a $500 Case IH parts card, courtesy of Case IH.

The Achievement Award recognizes young farmers and ranchers who have excelled in their farming or ranching operations and exhibited superior leadership abilities. Participants are evaluated on a combination of their agricultural operation’s growth and financial progress, Farm Bureau leadership and leadership outside of Farm Bureau.

Discussion Meet

Malarie Thompson of North Carolina won the Discussion Meet. She is the winner of a new Ford vehicle, courtesy of Ford. In addition, she will receive paid registration to the AFBF Young Farmers & Ranchers Conference, which will be held Feb. 25-28 in Louisville, Kentucky, also courtesy of Ford.

The runner-up in the Discussion Meet contest is Nowell Moore of Illinois. He will receive a Case IH Farmall 50A tractor, courtesy of Case IH. Julie Wadzinski of Wisconsin won third place, receiving a Case IH 40” Combination Roll Cabinet and Top Chest and a $500 Case IH parts card, courtesy of Case IH, as well as a $2,500 Investing in Your Future cash prize, courtesy of American Ag. In addition, she will take home $1,850 worth of Stanley Black & Decker merchandise, courtesy of Stanley Black & Decker. Fourth-place finalist Emily Nave of Tennessee receives a Case IH 40” Combination Roll Cabinet and Top Chest and a $500 Case IH parts card, courtesy of Case IH.

The Discussion Meet simulates a committee meeting in which active discussion and participation are expected. Participants are evaluated on their ability to exchange ideas and information on a predetermined topic.

Excellence in Agriculture Award

Brady Revels of Nebraska won the Excellence in Agriculture Award. He will receive a new Ford vehicle, courtesy of Ford. In addition, he will receive paid registration to the AFBF Young Farmers & Ranchers Conference, which will be held Feb. 25-28 in Louisville, Kentucky, also courtesy of Ford.

The runner-up in the Excellence in Agriculture contest is Loren King of Michigan. He will receive a Case IH Farmall 50A tractor, courtesy of Case IH. Kayla Griffith of Maryland won third place, receiving a Case IH 40” Combination Roll Cabinet and Top Chest and a $500 Case IH parts card, courtesy of Case IH, as well as a $2,500 Investing in Your Future cash prize, courtesy of American Ag. In addition, she will take home $1,850 worth of Stanley Black & Decker merchandise, courtesy of Stanley Black & Decker. Fourth-place finalist Jessica Lance of Georgia receives a Case IH 40” Combination Roll Cabinet and Top Chest and a $500 Case IH parts card, courtesy of Case IH.

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Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.