Modesto Junior College student wins in Farm Bureau’s Collegiate Discussion Meet

Braden Crosson, an intern in the Modesto Junior College School of Agriculture’s crop unit, has won the 2021-22 California Young Farmers and Ranchers Collegiate Discussion Meet.

Crosson, of Galt, emerged as the winner of the competition finals, held in Bakersfield on Nov. 13. The event featured a policy discussion on the long-term viability of livestock processing following the COVID-19 pandemic.

In his winning presentation, he addressed how California Farm Bureau efforts can lead to easing government regulations to enable long-term economic viability for local animal processing facilities, while also protecting workers and ensuring that healthy products are delivered to consumers.

As the winner of the contest, he receives $1,250 and will now represent California in the national competition held in February 2022 during the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Young Farmers and Ranchers Conference in Louisville, Kentucky.

The competition, part of the Farm Bureau’s Young Farmers and Ranchers Program, simulates a committee meeting, in which each committee member is expected to actively participate in a policy discussion. The idea is for participants to improve their discussion skills while learning about important agricultural issues. Ultimately, they learn to work in groups to pool knowledge, reach consensus and solve problems.