Discussion Meet

Watch videos of the 2010 AFBF Discussion Meet finals and the National Collegiate Discussion Meet finals.

Application

Deadline: October 31, 2010

Download application:
PDF (29 KB) | Word Doc

Download collegiate application:
PDF (29 KB) | Word Doc

Discussion Meet Winner

Congratulations to Discussion Meet winner Meghan Dresselhaus of San Bernardino County! During the California Farm Bureau Federation's 91st Annual Meeting in Anaheim, Dresselhaus came out on top while addressing the question of how do farmers continue to improve the public's perception of their products. "Misinformation and scare tactics clog the Internet, TV and magazine articles, causing people to question what they are eating and how it is grown," she said. "In agriculture, we need to have a clear, concise and believable message that reaches consumers here and abroad." Dresselhaus recommended that agricultural organizations form partnerships with those outside of farming such as with physicians, who consumers trust to provide accurate information about nutrition and food safety.

Meghan Dresselhaus, Discussion Meet winner.

As the winner, Dresselhaus earns a Dodge pickup truck valued at $30,000 and $4,000 in cash prizes from sponsors at Dodge, Bank of America, California Farm Credit Association and State Compensation Insurance Fund. She will represent CFBF in the national Discussion Meet competition at the American Farm Bureau Federation Annual Meeting in Seattle next month.

Discussion Meet Winner, Meghan Dresselhaus is presented the keys to a Dodge truck by Dodge representative Eric Munk.

Tyler Blagg of San Joaquin County was named first runner-up in the competition. The other finalists were Jeff Alves of Riverside County and Molly Fagundes of Fresno County.

In the separate Collegiate Discussion Meet, a student from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, won the separate Collegiate Discussion Meet competition. Olivia Gonzales of Templeton earned a $500 cash prize donated by the California Farm Bureau. First runner-up in the collegiate contest was California State University, Chico, student Jennifer Beretta of Santa Rosa. The other finalists were Vikki Hoveln, a California State University, Fresno, student from Oceanside; and Ryan Amaral, a CSU Chico student from Denair.

Olivia Gonzales, Collegiate Discussion Meet winner, right, receives her award from 2009 YF&R Chairman, Jeff Carlton, left.

CSU Chico won the collegiate team competition, which also featured teams from CSU Fresno and Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.

2010 Discussion Meet Questions

1. Farm Bureau is the leading voice for agriculture but not the only voice. How do we encourage other agricultural groups to work together for the common good of our industry?
2. Government has always been involved in agriculture. Is the current level of government involvement a net hindrance or a net benefit to agriculture?
3. How will food movements such as "foodie" and "locavore," which are focused primarily in urban centers, influence national agricultural production and federal programs?
4. Has technology become essential for American farmers? Should Farm Bureau influence and encourage all generations of farmers, ranchers and agriculturalists to embrace technological opportunities?
5. Given recent challenges, such as volatile food prices and limited world food supplies, do American consumers adequately appreciate the importance of U.S.-produced food? Will American consumers consider American agriculture important to our security in the future?