National Farm Bureau Competitions Shape Young Leaders
December 2021 FloridAgriculture E-Newsletter
The Young Farmers & Ranchers program helps young Farm Bureau members shape their future and American agriculture through leadership development and personal growth opportunities. Three competitions enable members to showcase their leadership experience, communication skills and successful business plans as they compete against the best of the best from each state Farm Bureau.
During the 2022 American Farm Bureau Annual Convention & Trade Show, four members from Florida will compete for national titles in their respective competitive events.
Meet Our Florida Competitors:
Excellence in Agriculture Competitor: Scarlett Jackson
Scarlett Jackson of Polk County will be competing in the Excellence in Agriculture competition. Jackson is a fifth-generation agriculturist who is an advocate for agriculture. She has a diverse farm background in cattle, citrus, strawberries, vegetables and fish.
Achievement in Agriculture Competitors: Shelby & Kevin Lussier
Shelby and Kevin Lussier will be competing in the Achievement in Agriculture competition. This high honor recognizes Young Farmers and Ranchers for their skill at farm production, development of their agricultural enterprise and service to Farm Bureau and the local community. The Lussiers raise dairy cattle and own a hand-crafted artisan cheese business, Hawthorne Creek Creamery, in Hawthorne, Fla. Kevin is the third generation to work on his family’s farm after graduating college in 2016. The couple were able to diversify the farm by expanding its operation to include a cow-calf operation and a creamery, which offers Gouda, Havarti and Swiss cheese.
Discussion Meet Competitor: Sydney Armstrong
Sydney Armstrong served on the 2018-2020 Florida Farm Bureau YF&R State Leadership Group. She has been involved in agriculture since she was a young girl, serving as a Florida FFA State Officer and secretary for the Collegiate Farm Bureau. Armstrong now works for the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office as the Public Information Officer and serves on the Jackson County Women’s Leadership Committee.
As part of the YF&R competitions, the top four competitors in the Achievement Award, Discussion Meet and Excellence in Ag areas will receive:
Winner (1st Place): a new Ford vehicle (up to a value of $35,000) and paid registration to the Farm Bureau YF&R Conference in Louisville, Kentucky, courtesy of Ford.
Runner-up (Second Place) receives: Case IH Farmall 50A, courtesy of Case IH.
Third Place receives: Case IH 40” Combination Roll Cabinet & Top Chest and $500 Case IH parts card, courtesy of Case IH, a $2,500 Investing in Your Future cash prize, courtesy of American Agricultural Insurance Company plus $1,850 worth of Stanley Black & Decker merchandise (PROTO, DeWalt, Stanley, Lenox & Irwin), courtesy of Stanley Black & Decker.
Fourth Place receives: Case IH 40” Combination Roll Cabinet & Top Chest and a $500 Case IH parts card, courtesy of Case IH.
