The Kansas Farm Bureau Young Farmer & Rancher of the Year Award Program is designed to recognize those YF&R members who have excelled in their farming or ranching operations and honed their leadership abilities to superiority. The contestant(s) will be evaluated on a combination of farm operation growth and financial progress, Farm Bureau leadership, as well as leadership outside of Farm Bureau. More specifically, the judges will be looking for excellence in management, scope of the enterprise and self-initiatives that have been displayed throughout the operation.

Prizes:

  • $500 + All Expense paid trip ($2,000 value) to compete in the national contest at 2025 AFBF Annual Convention in San Antonio, Texas.
  • Second Place - $300
  • Third Place - $200
  • Fourth Place - $100 


Award Process:

  • Prepare your application questions prior to submitting application online
  • Submit your application and financial success document with notary stamp online via jotform (below) by January 14, 2024
  • Prepare for a 20 minute interview
  • Attend the competition orientation at the Kansas YF&R Leadership Conference in Manhattan
  • Interview at the Kansas YF&R Leadership Conference on Saturday, February 3 in front of 3 judges
  • Awards announced on Sunday, February 4 at the closing general session
  • State winner advances and competes at 2025 AFBF Annual Convention in San Antonio, Texas


Award Criteria:

  • An applicant can be either an individual or a couple that is married or has similar legal rights under the law applicable to Kansas Farm Bureau organization. Applicant may choose to apply individually, rather than as a couple.
  • Applicant(s) shall be a Farm Bureau member(s) between the ages of 18 and 35 in good standing with his/her county Farm Bureau. The individual or spouse/spousal-equivalent shall have reached his/her 18th birthday at the time he/she qualifies for the national competition and shall not have reached his/her 36th birthday by the completion of the competition. Competitors qualify at the time the national application is submitted and the completion of the competition is the day awards are given out (Monday, January 27, 2025).
  • Applicant(s) must be actively engaged in farming and/or ranching, with the majority of his/her gross income coming from production agriculture. Applicant(s) must have at least three years of financial records showing that the majority of income came from production agriculture. 
  • Applicant(s) may only compete in one state YF&R Competition per year.
  • Past and present members of the AFBF Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee, present Kansas YF&R Committee and/or their spouse are not eligible to compete.
  • Past Kansas YF&R of the Year Award winners are not eligible to compete. Past Kansas YF&R of the Year Award participants are eligible if they have not previously won the state competition. 
  • Current employees or agents of county, state and/or the American Farm Bureau organizations and their affiliates are not eligible to compete. An affiliate is defined as an entity owned or controlled in whole or in part by another entity through, for example, ownership (including partial ownership) or positions on the board of directors. Past employees who were responsible for implementing any of the YF&R Competitive Events at the state or national level are ineligible. 

Apply Online Here

Application Deadline: January 14, 2024

Interview Date for Finalists: Saturday, February 3

Make sure you also register for the 2024 YF&R Leaders Conference! 

Resources: 

For questions, email yfr@kfb.org