By Scout Nelson
Kansas Farm Bureau reported major achievements at the 107th American Farm Bureau Federation Convention held in Anaheim, California. A highlight of the event was Lindy McMillen of Lane County, who won the national AFBF Discussion Meet.
The Discussion Meet is designed to simulate a committee meeting where active discussion and teamwork are required. Participants build communication skills, learn about important agriculture topics, and practice working together to solve problems. By winning the national contest, McMillen earned a $35,000 credit toward a new Ford vehicle and received paid registration to the 2026 AFBF Young Farmers and Ranchers Conference in Portland, Oregon.
Other Kansas Farm Bureau members also received recognition during the convention. Jacquelyne Leffler of Lyon County placed in the top 10 of the Achievement Award competition. This award recognizes young farmers and ranchers who show strong leadership skills and excellence in their farming or ranching operations.
Four Kansas counties also earned the County Activities of Excellence Awards for outstanding community programs. These awards recognize counties for creating programs that support education, food access, and youth development. As part of the honor, the counties shared their award-winning programs at the national trade show, allowing other communities to learn from their success.
Kansas counties honored with CAEs were:
- Atchison County: Started its Local Fresh for All program to provide gift certificates to the local farmers market for youth ages 9-19.
- Franklin County: Partnered with a local recreation commission to host the Ag Education Summer Series, which facilitated and hosted lessons, demonstrations and farm tours over eight weeks in the summer.
- Jackson County: Created a Livestock Summit to strengthen the knowledge of 4-H exhibitors on livestock selection, nutrition, showmanship and carcass evaluation.
- Meade County: Started the Silver Plate Project as a community-focused effort that provided shelf-stable and easy-to-prepared meals for senior citizens in rural areas to reduce food insecurity.
Kansas Farm Bureau also received Awards of Excellence for strong work in advocacy, partnerships, outreach, and leadership development.
Additional leadership achievements included Kansas representatives joining national committees. Marieta Hauser of Grant County joined the Women’s Leadership Committee, while Scot Schwieterman of Hamilton County joined the Young Farmers and Ranchers Committee. Kansas delegates also supported national policy efforts related to agricultural research and biosecurity.
These achievements showed the Kansas Farm Bureau’s strong commitment to leadership, education, and community support.
Photo Credit: kansas-farm-bureau
Categories: Kansas, Education, Government & Policy