What’s Next?  Erin Debler (YF&R Young Farmers and Ranchers Committee)

Jan. 2011

As Randall and I finished serving on the state young farmer and rancher committee, we find ourselves asking, “What’s next?”  Because of this tremendous opportunity, we have seen first-hand how Kansas Farm Bureau is the voice of agriculture and are excited to be part of this voice.  With this excitement comes energy and momentum to continue giving back of our time and educating others about the very essence of our livelihood…agriculture.

What’s next for us includes serving on our county Farm Bureau board and implementing activities that promote agriculture and safety in our local communities.  A trip to Washington, D.C. to take our agriculture-related issues and concerns to Capitol Hill is also in the near future.  As young agriculturalists, we all need to be thinking, “What’s next for me?”  For some, what’s next can be reading Kailey’s next ag adventure, “Celebrate Wheat” to local grade school children and then teaching them how to make bread in a bag or volunteering as a voting delegate to next year’s Annual Meeting.  For others, what’s next could be writing a letter to the editor about the importance controlled burning plays in the stewardship of the land or attending the upcoming YF&R Leaders conference.

This year’s Leaders conference focuses on “Farming Beyond Your Field” and all the important activities outside of production management that make your business successful.  Jeff Stamp, the inventor of Baked Lays, will present an engaging entrepreneurial-based General Session on Saturday morning about Bold Thinking – The Act of Converting Ideas into Opportunities.  Troy & Stacy Hadrick with Advocates for Agriculture and of Yellow Fail fame will encourage YF&R’s to Discover Your Influential Power.  In addition, the next Kailey Ag Adventure will be highlighted during Story Hour and there will be lots of informative workshops from Capital Hill updates to generational transfers to leasing to transportation compliance to the Real Housewives of Rural Kansas.

So, in this new year, ask yourself not what your farm organization can do for you, but what you can do for your farm organization.  And then begin with attending the 2011 Kansas Farm Bureau Young Farmers & Ranchers Leaders Conference in Wichita – it will be an experience you never forget and one that leaves you asking, “What’s next?”

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