The closing general session of the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) annual meeting is the time for awards and entertainment.
The organization’s highest honor, the Distinguished Service to Agriculture Award, was presented to University of Illinois agriculture professor Robert Thompson. “An economist by trade, Robert Thompson’s heart and soul is agriculture,” said AFBF President Bob Stallman. “There is no doubt that American agriculture has benefited from the many roles Dr. Thompson has played over the past four decades.”
Currently serving as the Gardner Endowed Chair in Agriculture Policy at the University of Illinois, Dr. Thompson leads classes on agricultural development and food and agriculture policy, and is involved in Extension education, as well as research on U.S. competitiveness and trade.
The Young Farmer and Rancher (YF&R) awards are always highly anticipated since the final competition takes place during the annual meeting and there are so many great younger people involved in the organization. All of the top winners receive a 2011 Dodge Ram pickup, courtesy of Dodge, plus free registration to the 2011 AFBF YF&R Leadership Conference in February.
Paul and Monica Minzenmayer of Texas won the Achievement Award, which recognizes young farmers and ranchers who have excelled in their farming or ranching operations and exhibited superior leadership abilities. Runners-up were Matt DeBlock of Illinois, Steven and Richelle Bach of Kentucky, Brent and Susan Leggett of North Carolina and Brian Flowers of Tennessee who each received a Case IH Farmall tractor, courtesy of Case IH.
Colin Johnson of Iowa was the top winner in this year’s Discussion Meet. The three runners-up are Daniel Martin of Mississippi, Charlee Doom of New York and Loni H. Rikard of South Carolina. Each runner-up received a $6,000 Savings Bond and a STIHL Farm Boss chainsaw, both courtesy of STIHL.
Chris and Jennie Simms of Virginia won the Excellence in Agriculture Award, which recognizes young farmers and ranchers who do not derive the majority of their income from an agricultural operation, but who actively contribute and grow through their involvement in agriculture, their leadership ability and participation in Farm Bureau and other organizations. The three runners-up in the competition are Brian and Dacia Brown of Illinois, Ken and Malissa Schentzel of Minnesota and Shawn and Vanessa Duren of Tennessee, who also received a savings bond and chainsaw from STIHL.
2011 AFBF Annual Meeting Photo Album
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack addressed the 2011 American Farm Bureau Federation Annual Meeting this afternoon. He made a couple of comments that drew applause from the audience. One of those dealt with concerns over USDA’s pending decision on regulating GM alfalfa. He said, “We’re trying to figure out, as difficult as it might be, is there a way in which we can assure that we have less interference with the capacity for folks to do what they want to do on their land? If you want to grow GMO crops you ought to be able to do that. If you want to grow identity preserved conventional you ought to be able to do that. If you want to be an organic farmer you ought to be able to do that.”
The chairman of the management committee for AG CONNECT Expo is Martin Richenhagen, AGCO President/CEO. I spoke with him about this year’s show which is now winding down to its last hour.
The 2011 
Neither freezing rain, nor snow, nor sleet has stopped the 
What do consumers think about food? Betsy Freese, 
One very well attended education session at 
The staff at the Atlanta Convention Center was out shoveling snow early today. That’s something they don’t do very often but it was sure needed. The final day of the 2011 AG CONNECT Expo is here and the show will open for business at 9am. All educational sessions are taking place too. A lot of things got canceled in Atlanta but here, the show goes on. The roads are pretty well covered with snow and now freezing rain has moved in. It was crunchy walk over but not too bad.