GENERAL INFORMATION
43rdANNUAL TENNESSEE YOUNG FARMER OF THE YEAR
ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS PROGRAM
1.This is the 43rdyear this program has been offered by the Tennessee Farm Bureau in cooperation with the Tennessee Young Farmers and Ranchers and the American Farm Bureau.
2.County winners will be recognized and presented a certificate on Friday night, July 20. The top two young farmers from each district will be announced at the Young Farmers Conference on Saturday morning, July 21. There will be a ten-minute interview for each of the ten finalists on Saturday morning, July 21. The District & State Winners will be announced at the Young Farmers Conference in Columbia, Tennessee on Saturday night, July 21, 2012.
3.Each county contestant will receive $200 cash from TFBF provided that the application is postmarked by May 15th. Two winners will be selected from each of the five Farm Bureau districts. This will be the top ten finalists, who will compete for the district and state winners. The Ten State Finalists will each receive $300 cash from TFBF.
4.Each district winner will receive up to $500 of Farm Bureau Services of their choice provided by the Tennessee Farm Bureau, Tennessee Farmers Insurance Companies, Tennessee Rural Health, Farmers Service, Inc., and Tennessee Livestock Producers. (Ex. Auto, Farm, Home, Life, or Health Insurance; Farm Business Analysis, Income Tax, or Livestock Marketing Services). Winners must meet all application and normal underwriting requirements.
5.The second place state winner and their spouse will receive up to $500 in qualified Farm Bureau Services, $1,000 cash from TFBF, a trip to the American Farm Bureau Annual Convention, and trips to all TN YF&R Conferences. The state winner will receive a years’ use up to 150 hours of a Case IH Tractor, $1,000 from TFBF, RTV loaded to keep from TFBF, $500 in qualified Farm Bureau Services, and insurance on the Case IH Tractor for one-year provided by Tennessee Farmers Insurance. In addition, the state winner and their spouse will also receive a trip to the American Farm Bureau Annual Convention in Nashville, Tennessee on January 12-16, 2013 to compete with other state winners for national awards from Chevrolet/GMC, Case IH, and Stihl. The national winner will receive a choice of either a 2013 Chevrolet Silverado or a 2013 GMC Sierrato keep and paid registration to the 2013 AFBF Leadership Conference. Each of the three runners-up will receive a Case IH Farmall 65A Tractor to keep, $5,000 savings bond, and a Stihl Farm Boss.
6.The following rules are to be observed in the selection of each county participant:
a.Any Farm Bureau member family actively farming, the husband and wife being no more than 35 years of age. (May not reach their 36th birthday prior to January 31, 2013 of the National Convention).
b.State Application and Entry Form of the county winner must be in the office of the Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation or postmarked by May 15, 2012. The application must be typed. Go to – click on “Get Involved”, then click on Young Farmers and Ranchers. The Young Farmer Application/Entry Form is in a word and PDF document.
c.The county winner must be sponsored by the countyFarm Bureau to be considered for state and national recognition. Application must be signed by the County Farm Bureau President.
d.A panel of qualified judges will make the final selection of the state winner.
e.Members of the Tennessee Young Farmers and RanchersState Committee or their spouses will not be eligible to compete in the awards program.
f.To receive anycounty, district or state awards, county winners must be present at the Young Farmer Conference.
YOUNG FARMER OF THE YEAR/ACHIEVEMENT AWARD PROGRAM
COUNTYRECOGNITION
HELPFUL SUGGESTIONS!
If you want to have a county contest, you may want to use some of these suggestions:
1.APPOINT A SELECTION COMMITTEE AND GIVE APPROPRIATE BOARD AUTHORITY: (Should be done at March or April meeting.) (Whole Board may want to help determine awards and recognition.)
2.COMMITTEE NEEDS TO DO THE FOLLOWING:
a.Work with newspaper and radio to get contest announced in plenty of time (should be in paper several times during March, or April).
b.Make arrangements for story on winning farmer {in local paper(s)}.
c.Make arrangements for awards (plaques, etc.).
d.Make arrangements for judges.*
*We suggest you select a committee of at least three people who understand farming in your county. (Farm leaders, county extension agents, Farm Bureau Board members, other professional agricultural staff, etc.). Your judges may want to visit the farm or review available financial records of each applicant to determine size, scope and growth in farming operation, and remember leadership is 35% of the total score.
NOTE:Board members, young farmer members, Farm Bureau agents and secretaries should try to get applications to qualified people. (You could also ask for help from other county agricultural personnel and county extension leaders). Participation is important for all 95 counties.
3.NEWSPAPER OR RADIO ANNOUNCEMENT SHOULD INCLUDE (COPY
INCLUDED):
a.Sponsoring organization.
b.Age requirement.
c.When and how to get an application (when someone wants an application, you should get their name and phone number).
d.When application is due.
e.Recognition and awards.
4.SUGGESTED AWARDS:
a.1st, 2nd, 3rd place awards.
b.Permanent plaque hanging in Farm Bureau office with 1st place winner’s name.
c.Individual plaques for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd.
d.Trip to State Young Farmers Conference for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd (the only expense to the county would be travel to Columbia).
e.Cash awards, if you wish.
f.Farm supplies donated by local dealers.
5.RULES:
a.Must be a Farm Bureau member (this would not have to be a local requirement, but would have to be a Farm Bureau voting memberto enter state competition).
b.Young farmers 18 to 35 and cannot reach their 36th birthday prior to January 31, 2013 may enter.
c.1st place county winner application may be judged with any eligible previous years' winner to determine who will represent county in state contest. (optional)
d.Your judges may also want to interview or visit each contestant to make a better evaluation of their farming operation.
These are only suggestions, you should change these suggestions to fit your county contest.
SCORECARD
TENNESSEE FARM BUREAU
YOUNG FARMER OF THE YEAR/ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
(The application will be scored on four basic areas as follows:)
State Application and Entry Form of the county winner must be in the office of the Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation or postmarked by May 15, 2012. The application must be typed. Go to click on “Get Involved”, then click on Young Farmers and Ranchers. The Young Farmer Application/Entry Form is in a word and PDF document.
AREA 1 - FARM OPERATION - size, scope, yields, efficiency, etc.
AREA 2 - GROWTH AND PROGRESS MADE SINCE THE APPLICANT STARTED FARMING TO THE PRESENT.
This means considering all assets available to begin farming, and the utilization of those beginning assets, plus gifts, earnings, and additional borrowed capitol, and evaluate the progress andgrowth made to the present time. By applying this principle, you will be able to compare farming operations with many variables such as beginning assets, type, size and current financial statements and net worth. Management of the farming operation and the financial statement deserve major emphasis in this area.
Sections I - Farming Status; II - Farming Program; III - Applicant's Financial Statement; IV - Evidence of Sound Management Practices are included in these two areas.
AREA 3 - LEADERSHIP ROLE IN FARM BUREAU.
There are many opportunities for leadership experiences within the Farm Bureau Organization. These leadership roles may occur on the County, State or AFBF level. They may consist of voluntary or elected position of leadership. Major emphasis in this area should be not only on the number of leadership roles but on the number of years served as well.
Section V - (A) and (B) are included in this area.
AREA 4 - LEADERSHIP ROLE IN COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES.
These experiences can reflect the degree of responsibility assumed by individuals in agriculture and agri-related activities.
Section V - (C), (D), and (E) are included in this area.
TOTAL POINTS
AREA 1 - FARM OPERATION (Maximum 35 points)
AREA 2 - GROWTH AND PROGRESS IN FARMING
OPERATION - (Maximum 30 points)
AREA 3 - LEADERSHIP ROLE IN FARM BUREAU
(Maximum 20 points)
AREA 4 - LEADERSHIP ROLE IN COMMUNITY
(Maximum 15 points)
TOTAL POINTS - 100 points
(Suggested announcement for county use only. To be released in newspaper duringMarch and April. Be sure to make any changes that are appropriate to your county.)
FARM BUREAU ANNOUNCES COUNTY YOUNG FARMER OF THE YEAR
ACHIEVEMENTAWARD PROGRAM
, President of the County Farm Bureau today announced the rules for the 2012County Young Farmer of the Year Awards Program. Any young farmer in County between 18 and 35 years of age and cannot reach their 36th birthday prior to January 31, 2013 is eligible for the award. Applications for the award are now available at the County Farm Bureau Office or online. To get your application, call or see at the County Farm Bureau Office or go online to - click on “Get Involved”, then click on Young Farmers and Ranchers. The Young Farmer Application/Entry Form is in a word and PDF document. All entries must be received in the County Farm Bureau Office by , 2012. (Suggested date should be set to fit county situation.)
The top three applicants and their spouses will receive an expense paid trip to the Annual Tennessee Young Farmers Conference held in Columbia on July 20-21, 2012at the Tennessee Farm Bureau Headquarters. While at the conference, county winners will compete for District & State Awards. To receive any county, district or state awards, county winners must be present at the Young Farmer Conference.
Each county contestant will receive $200 cash from TFBF provided that the application is postmarked by May 15th. The Ten State Finalist will each receive $300 cash from TFBF. Each district winner will receive up to $500 in qualified Farm Bureau Services. The second place state winner and their spouse will receive up to $500 in qualified Farm Bureau Services, $1,000 cash from TFBF, a trip to the American Farm Bureau Annual Convention, and trips to all TN YF&R Conferences. The state winner will receive a years’ use up to 150 hours of a Case IH Tractor, $1,000 from TFBF, RTV loaded to keep from TFBF, $500 in qualified Farm Bureau Services, and insurance on the Case IH Tractor for one-year provided by Tennessee Farmers Insurance. In addition, the state winner and their spouse will also receive a trip to the American Farm Bureau Annual Convention in Nashville, Tennessee on January 12-16, 2013 to compete with other state winners for national awards from Chevrolet/GMC, Case IH, and Stihl. The national winner will receive a choice of either a 2013 Chevrolet Silverado or a 2013 GMC Sierra to keep and paid registration to the 2013 AFBF Leadership Conference. Each of the three runners-up will receive a Case IH Farmall 65A Tractor to keep,$5,000 savings bond, and a Stihl Farm Boss.
In addition, the top three farmers in the county will receive a plaque and will be recognized at the Annual County Farm Bureau meeting on (in) . A story will be released in this newspaper later on in the year about the 2012 first place Young Farmer of the Year for County (optional).
*COULD ALSO BE USED FOR RADIO ANNOUNCEMENT DURING MARCH AND APRIL.
This should be changed to fit your county selection process.