County Young Farmers & Ag Professionals programs all have the same goal: developing the next generation of agricultural leaders. While keeping this goal in mind, each county finds its own way of connecting to the young farmers and ag professionals in its area. Take for example Dubois County YF&AP.

According to Molley Hasenour, District 9 YF&AP representative, and Katie Stenftenagel, Dubois County YF&AP chair, Dubois County hosts social events for its YF&AP members, gives away popcorn and promotes Indiana Farm Bureau membership at the local county fair, and hosts an annual Ag Day breakfast.

This year, they tried something new: a 4-H Livestock Showmanship Clinic. This event, the result of a partnership between Dubois County Farm Bureau and Purdue Extension–Dubois County, focused on the finer points of showing cattle, goats, sheep and swine. The event featured noted judge Terry Burks of Bowling Green, Kentucky, along with other experts.

In addition to providing a service to local 4-H’ers, the event brought together young professionals as volunteers.

“We asked 4-H volunteers, 4-H graduates and YF&AP members if they wanted to volunteer and they were all for it,” Stenftenagel explained.

In all, 97 young people from all over southern Indiana and 40 volunteers participated, Hasenour said.

Henry County YF&AP, which won the Outstanding County YF&AP Award at this year’s YF&AP Conference, hosts a number of events throughout the year to bring local young farmers and ag professionals together, said Jessica Wenning, who with her husband Mark represents YF&AP members on the Henry County Farm Bureau board.

Many of Henry County’s YF&AP programs for 2023 focused on philanthropy and community. Their YF&AP committee coordinated a bowling night and cookout for YF&AP members to provide networking opportunities, and they also sponsored pedal pulls during their county fair and local Sulphur Springs Community Days. Also held during the county fair is a food drive that benefits a local church’s food pantry.

A more unusual event was Henry County’s “Meals in the Fields” initiative, which delivered simple meals directly to farmers in their area during the busy time of harvest.

While Henry County uses a number of techniques to publicize its events, “Word of mouth is always the best,” Wenning said. “Someone is always more willing to join an event if they know somebody.”

There is a YF&AP presence in every county, noted Justin Davis, INFB leadership development coordinator.

“Most counties have a YF&AP chair, and some counties are more active than others,” he explained. Activities are organized on a state, district and county basis. At the state level, the big event is the YF&AP Conference, to be held in February 2025.

While INFB has had a successful young farmer program since 1969, its structure is unusual in that in order to “join,” all a young INFB member has to do is show up at an activity or event.

“Anyone who is a member of INFB between the ages of 18 and 40 is a member of YF&AP,” explained Davis. “There’s no additional sign-up.”

More information on the YF&AP program is available on INFB’s website, www.infb.org/YFAP. Anyone interested in getting involved should talk to their INFB regional manager or their YF&AP district representative. Contact information for regional managers can be found on INFB’s website at www.infb.org/fieldoperations.