Jekyll Island, GA |
Surrounded by surf and sand, Georgia Farm Bureau’s Young Farmers & Ranchers (YF&R) Summer Leadership Conference once again brought energy and inspiration to the Golden Isles. More than two hundred attendees came together for the annual event, designed with one important mission: building strong agricultural leaders.
“It is a leadership development event that we have our Young Farmers and Ranchers State Committee put on,” says Levi Davis, Young Farmers & Ranchers Programs Coordinator for GFB. “They pick out carefully thought-out breakout sessions and guest speakers that relate to everybody in the crowd. We’ve got competitions like discussion meet, a photo contest, and awards like Excellence in Agriculture and Achievement in Agriculture. We pack it all into just a handful of days and hope to send everybody out of here with inspiration to go back to their home counties and continue growing their Young Farmers and Ranchers program—or start one if they’re not part of one now.”
The conference’s importance can’t be overstated. Davis says the event is intentionally tailored to provide young leaders with the tools, knowledge, and connections they need to thrive in agriculture.
“It is important to us and Georgia Farm Bureau to make sure that we’re able to give them the ammunition they need to be able to effectively advocate for agriculture, share their story, and grow these programs,” he says. “We want to continue churning out professional leaders and future leaders in the agriculture industry.”
This year’s theme, “Where You Belong,” reflected that mission, focusing on the value of community and support in a profession that can often feel isolating.
“We are all each other’s biggest cheerleaders,” says Allie Andrews, State YF&R Chair for GFB. “We all want each other to succeed and have people we can count on. A lot of the things we deal with as farmers—mental health, succession planning—can be heavy. Here, I’m surrounded by like-minded people facing the same issues. I belong with people who share the same desires and struggles, and I’m comfortable opening up and networking because of that. I know I belong here. I know I belong in this organization.”
Ultimately, Andrews says the hope is that attendees leave the conference feeling empowered to continue their work as advocates and future leaders.
“I hope they have the desire to keep going,” Andrews says. “What else can I do? What other ideas do I have? How can I advocate more on a public level, on a community level? This conference shows people that Farm Bureau is more than insurance—it’s an organization with a huge impact. I hope they take the tools and principles they learn here and build on them when they return home.”
By: John Holcomb