HERSHEY – Kaylee Smith of Penn State’s Collegiate Farm Bureau has been named Pennsylvania Farm Bureau’s (PFB) winner of the 2023 Young Ag Professionals (YAP) Discussion Meet at PFB’s 73rd Annual Meeting in Hershey.
The collegiate discussion meet contestants were given the task to analyze agricultural problems and decide on solutions that best meet their needs. The Young Ag Professionals build communication skills, develop an understanding of important agricultural issues, and explore how groups can pool resources to reach a consensus and solve problems during these contests.
“The collegiate discussion meet is a great opportunity for our young farmers and agriculture professionals to formulate new ideas that could help resolve problems facing the farming and agricultural industry. It’s important for the young people representing agriculture’s future to understand key issues and be willing to speak out about them to the public and policymakers,” said PFB Chris Hoffman. “Kaylee did an excellent job conveying her overall knowledge of agriculture and strong communications skills throughout the discussion meet.”
Smith receives several prizes, including a YETI cooler courtesy of BASF and an expense paid trip to the American Farm Bureau Federation Young Farmers and Ranchers Convention in Omaha, Nebraska, where she will represent Pennsylvania Farm Bureau in AFBF’s national discussion meet competition.
Hundreds of farmers from across the state attended Pennsylvania Farm Bureau’s 73rd Annual Meeting at the Hershey Lodge from Nov. 12-15, to set policy for the statewide organization on issues affecting farm and rural families.