Michigan Farm Bureau’s 2021 Young Farmer Discussion Meet season kicks off Aug. 5. With summer flying by, MFB wants to make sure you are prepared and confident to participate.
Monroe County farmer Chris Heck has been competing for 11 years and has perspective and advice to offer to those considering competing for their first time. He still remembers his first competition in 2009.
“It was really personable,” Heck said. “There wasn’t anybody who was dominating, it was just like having a conversation — sharing ideas — which is what Discussion Meets are supposed to be.”
That one conversation helped ignite his Farm Bureau journey and shape him into the person he is today.
Chris and his brother farm 400 acres of organic corn, soybeans and wheat on their seventh-generation family farm, Heck Family Farms LLC. Off the farm he works as a plant and soil nutrition agronomist and organic product manager for Nutrien Ag Solutions’ northern Ohio division. Heck is third member of the Monroe County Farm Bureau’s executive committee and previously represented District 3 on the state Young Farmer committee.
After many years of competition, he won Michigan’s state-level discussion meet last year and went on to compete nationally, representing the Great Lakes State at the American Farm Bureau’s Young Farmer and Rancher Discussion Meet.
Centered around current industry topics, Discussion Meets normally bring a variety of viewpoints to the table.
“I think they’re valuable because they allow for issues in the agricultural industry to be brought up and for people to not just share ideas, but actually learn about those current issues,” Heck said. “I’ve also been able to take what I have learned from Discussion Meets and use it in my real-world career.”
Chris emphasized the value of conversations built directly from Discussion Meets, even those you might not agree with.
“It’s an opportunity to share your experiences, but also an opportunity to learn about things outside your comfort zone.
“The greatest thing is you build a strong network and find people who have similar passions or thoughts that you do, but also people who don’t,” he said. “You can learn from those people as well, and it’s always good to have them as a contact.”
Discussion Meets help broaden your networking base and also help you build up other skills.
“Participating in Discussion Meets has allowed me to become more polished in the way I talk and communicate with people and by thinking in my head when topics get brought up, what is the issue, what is the solution, and what’s one way I can take it further.”
“Go enjoy it and take everything in and even if you don’t win or you don’t make it far, take the experience and build upon it for the next year. Every single year I learned a little bit more on how to be better for the [next] Discussion Meet” There is always room for improvement, don’t miss out on the chance to take your skills to the next level.
“It was a great opportunity to sit there and have that conversation with those people that I normally wouldn’t have had those conversations with — allowing me to reach out, make new friends and meet new people.”
Michigan Farm Bureau would love to see and hear what you have to say at this year’s Discussion Meets. Find more information online, including the Young Farmer Discussion Meet Guidebook; this year’s topics; a scorecard rubric and rules; district contest information; and instructional videos.
Find details about your district Discussion Meet here.
New for 2021, finalists at the district-level Discussion Meet contests will participate in two rounds of virtual discussion Nov. 12, with those advancing to the Sweet Sixteen will participate in TWO in-person rounds at this year’s MFB State Annual Meeting, scheduled for Nov. 30 in Grand Rapids.
New for 2021, finalists at the district-level Discussion Meet contests will participate in two rounds of virtual discussion Nov. 12, with those advancing to the Sweet Sixteen will participate in TWO in-person rounds at this year’s MFB State Annual Meeting, scheduled for Nov. 30 in Grand Rapids.
If you have questions about this year’s state-level contest, contact Megan Sprague, 989-525-3743.
Alyssa Bednarski is interning this summer with Michigan Farm Bureau’s Center for Education and Leadership Development.