Dec. 21—DIXON — Two members of the Lee County Farm Bureau represented the county in the 2024 Illinois Farm Bureau Young Leaders State Discussion Meet on Dec. 7.
Alec Wetzell of Franklin Grove and Kim Ewald of Compton were selected to participate after winning the District Discussion Meet. Both are dedicated members of the agricultural community. Wetzell brought experience as an agricultural educator, and Ewald has experience as an agricultural and commercial lender officer.
“It was a great experience for my first time being at an annual meeting,” Wetzell said in a news release. “I enjoyed getting to network and build relationships with the other Young Leaders Discussion Meet contestants.”
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The state competition took place at the 2024 Illinois Farm Bureau annual meeting in Chicago, where participants showcased their ability to engage in dynamic group discussion, exchange ideas and develop constructive solutions to current agricultural issues.
“It was a great networking opportunity to meet other young leaders from across the state,” Ewald said in the release. “I enjoyed the public speaking challenge it provided me, and it was a nice opportunity to hear other ag advocates’ solutions to today’s top concerns in agriculture.”
Wetzell and Ewald squared off against other competitors from across the state, where they were judged on their ability to analyze agricultural issues, communicate effectively and propose practical solutions that benefit the agricultural community.
“The Discussion Meet was more than just a competition,” IFB State Young Leaders program coordinator Perry Harlow said. “It was an opportunity to explore critical challenges facing agriculture and collaborate on innovative approaches that can help farmers and rural communities thrive.”
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The Illinois Farm Bureau Young Leaders program offers individuals ages 18 to 35 the chance to participate in agriculture regardless of previous experience.
Participants can engage in events such as the State Young Leaders Conference, Young Leaders Ag Industry Tour and Discussion Meets. They also can compete for awards such as the Young Leaders Achievement Award and Excellence in Agriculture Award. The events are meant to foster professional development and personal growth.
Young leaders also can take advantage of the IFB’s Collegiate Farm Bureau program, which offers students opportunities to engage in leadership, education, legislation and networking through hands-on experiences. The CFB has chapters across the state, including the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Illinois State University and several other campuses.
For more information on the Young Leaders program, email youngleaders@ilfb.org.
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