Maryland Farm Bureau's Young Farmers & Ranchers Program
Maryland Farm Bureau's Young Farmers & Ranchers (YFnR) program engages young Farm Bureau members between the age of 18-35 by offering opportunities to develop as strong, effective leaders for service in both Farm Bureau and their communities.
The program is focused on personal growth in the following areas:
- public speaking
- issue advocacy
- business development
- networking
- service leadership
- media training
- telling the story of agriculture
The program offers networking events like the annual Young Farmers Summer Picnic, discussion meet competitions, and scholarship opportunities to attend American Farm Bureau Federation events.
If you are a Maryland Farm Bureau member between the ages of 18-35, you are also eligible to become a member of Young Farmers & Ranchers program.
Latest YFnR News:
June 6th, 2026: Maryland Farm Bureau’s Young Farmers & Ranchers Summer Picnic!
Join us for a day that celebrates the past, present, and future of Maryland agriculture. This year, we’ve designed two ways for you to participate — whether you’re looking for a deep dive into local farming or just enjoying a sunset concert from Maryland’s own Luke Borchelt.
Option 1: The Full Day Experience (10:00 AM – 9:00 PM)
The whole package! Start the morning with exclusive tours of some of Anne Arundel County’s finest farms and stables. Transportation and lunch are included. Wrap up the day back at Knightongale Farm for a catered dinner and access to the Luke Borchelt concert.
Option 2: The Evening Concert & Dinner (6:00 PM – 9:00 PM)
Just here for the tunes? No problem. Open to the general public and music fans of all ages, this ticket gets you straight to the main event. Arrive at Knightongale Farm in time for a summer dinner and a live performance by Maryland’s own Luke Borchelt.
All proceeds support the Maryland Farm Bureau Young Farmers & Ranchers program, investing in the next generation of our state's agricultural leaders.
Ticket Prices (goes up $15 after May 15):
- All-Day "Picnic & Tour" Pass: $50 Member / $85 Non-Member
- (Includes farm tours, lunch, transportation, dinner, and concert access)
- "Evening Only" Concert Pass: $25 Member / $50 Non-Member
- (Includes dinner and concert access. Entry begins at 6:00 PM)
Francis Moats Memorial Discussion Meet at Maryland Farm Bureau NextGen Summit
To honor the legacy of Young Farmer Francis Moats, the 2024 Maryland Farm Bureau Discussion Meet has been renamed to emphasize the passion Francis had for the Young Farmers program and the drive to get members to attend State Wide and National Farm Bureau Conferences.
The Francis Moats Memorial Discussion Meet will take place during Maryland Farm Bureau’s NextGen Summit in Cambridge Maryland. The opening rounds will take place at 5 PM on December 7th, with the final round taking place at the Opening General Luncheon at 11:45 AM on December 8th.
Register Here: 2024 Francis Moats Memorial Discussion Meet
The 2025 Discussion Meet questions that will be used for the 2024 Maryland Farm Bureau Annual Meeting have been announced!
- Young farmers and ranchers are finding they need to diversify their farm portfolio. What are some ways that young farmers and ranchers can utilize diversification to explore new revenue sources? How can Farm Bureau support YF&R members as they strengthen their farm and ranch businesses?
- Increases in the price of agricultural land make access and ownership of land one of the biggest hurdles for young farmers and ranchers looking to start or expand farms and ranches. How can young farmers and ranchers position themselves to react to competition for agricultural land?
- The landscape of American agriculture and the picture of the “typical” American farm continues to change. Meanwhile, Farm Bureau will need to continue to recruit and retain members in order to be a vibrant and effective organization into the future. How can Farm Bureau continue to provide value and opportunity to welcome members from across the broad diversity of modern agriculture and American farmers and ranchers?
- Succession planning is often a tough subject not only for individual farms and ranches but also within county Farm Bureaus. Some younger members may find it challenging to become involved in their county Farm Bureau beyond the YF&R committee. What are some ways that county Farm Bureaus can encourage involvement from young members and how can actively engaged young board members help their county Farm Bureaus plan for the future?
- Farmers and ranchers are reliant on multiple energy sources to run equipment, heat livestock barns and power storage and maintenance facilities. How can Farm Bureau work with energy companies, local governments and rural communities to increase domestic energy production, minimize loss of agricultural land and protect private property rights?
The Young Farmers are also happy to announce that we will be partnering with Ford for a “Fill-A-Ford” Food Drive that will benefit the Maryland Food Bank. There will be a Ford truck located on the Trade Show floor and throughout the Convention attendees can help in fill the bed of the truck with donated items. Here is a list of the most requested items from the Maryland Food Bank.
Young Farmers Donate 5,000 Meals
Young farmers from around the state gathered together to pack 5,000 meals for families in need on the lower shore during an event at Maryland Farm Bureau’s 104th Annual Convention.
The organization’s Young Farmers Committee spearheaded the donation effort as part of Farm Bureau’s Harvest for All program. The program has worked for the past 18 years to help provide food to those in need. Packed meals were donated to local Maryland Food Bank community partners.
“Maryland Farm Bureau members have a long history of supporting the important work of local food banks,” said Katie Stevens, chair of the MFB Young Farmers Committee and a farmer from Frederick County. “Whether it be donating food from our farms to families in need or donating our time to pack meals, we’re happy to be involved in the effort to fight hunger in the state.”
More than 650,000 Maryland residents – or 1 in 9 – are food insecure, meaning they live at risk of hunger. The Maryland Food Bank is a non-profit organization leading the movement to end hunger in Maryland. Their extensive network of partners across the state distribute food to Marylanders in need.
If you are interested in volunteering to fight hunger in Maryland, please visit mdfoodbank.org. Farmers interested in participating in the Harvest for All program or the Maryland Farm to Food Bank program should contact Parker Welch at pwelch@marylandfb.org.
2025-2026 Young Farmer Committee
District 1 (Allegany, Frederick, Garrett, Washington) – Levi Lantz
District 2 (Carroll, Howard, Montgomery) – Alston Shipley
District 3 (Anne Arundel, Calvert, Charles, Prince George’s, St. Mary’s) – Robert Henry
District 4 (Baltimore, Cecil, Harford) – Wilson Davis
District 5 (Caroline, Kent, Queen Anne’s, Talbot) – Jessica Clarke
District 6 (Dorchester, Wicomico, Worcester, Somerset) – Trish & Bret Bucci
Ex-Officio: Greg Dell
Competitive Events Winners for 2025
Discussion Meet: Catherine Savage, Montgomery County
Collegiate Discussion Meet: Conner Clary, Garrett County
Catherine Savage will represent Maryland at the American Farm Bureau Federation Annual Convention in Charlotte, NC in January 2027. Conner represented Maryland at the Young Farmers & Ranchers Conference in Portland, OR in March 2026.
Young Farmers Competitive Events
The Discussion Meet is a competition promoted by the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) Young Farmers & Ranchers (YF&R) Committee. Farm Bureau’s strength depends on its members’ ability to analyze agricultural issues and decide on solutions that best meet their needs. The competition is designed to simulate a committee meeting where discussion and active participation are expected from each committee member. Applicants build basic discussion skills, develop a keen understanding of important agricultural issues and explore how groups can pool knowledge to reach consensus and solve problems.
A successful applicant is a productive thinker rather than an emotional persuader. He/she will assist the group in creating ways to implement the solutions discussed and highlight Farm Bureau’s involvement in those actions/steps. The applicants will discuss pre-selected topics using four bases for the general discussion: Cooperation, Constructive Criticism, Problem Solving, and Communication.
The Young Farmers & Ranchers (YF&R) Excellence in Agriculture Award competition is designed as an opportunity for young farmers and ranchers to earn recognition, while actively contributing and growing though their involvement in Farm Bureau and agriculture.
Participants will be judged on their involvement in agriculture, leadership ability, and participation/involvement in Farm Bureau and other organizations (i.e., civic, service and community). The ideal candidate(s) for the Excellence in Agriculture Award is an individual or couple who does not have the majority of his/her net income subject to normal production risk.
The American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) annually conducts a Young Farmers & Ranchers (YF&R) Achievement Award competition. State Farm Bureaus are encouraged to promote this activity among county Farm Bureaus. Selection of the winning YF&R competitor is based on his/her efforts in production agriculture and leadership achievement.
Participation in this program with individual recognition and the resulting publicity will help build the organization. The ideal candidate(s) for the Achievement Award is an individual or couple involved in production agriculture with a majority of his/her net income subject to normal production risks.
