Editor’s note: Author Ella Hasty, a sophomore Agricultural Business major from Smyrna, Tennessee, is affiliated with Collegiate Farm Bureau.
The Collegiate Farm Bureau at UT Martin is helping students pave the way to future careers in agriculture.
Collegiate Farm Bureau, also known as CFB, has been an organization on campus for many years and is a branch of the Tennessee Farm Bureau specifically designated for college students. Over the past couple of years, CFB has really taken off on campus.
Bree Mills, the UT Martin Collegiate Farm Bureau president, says, “Students should join Collegiate Farm Bureau to network with agriculture industry leaders, partners and other students. Our club offers a unique opportunity for students to network with people from all areas of agriculture and in the professional field.”
Mills, a senior Agriculture major from Martin, has been active in CFB for most of her college years and was the Special Programs Intern for the Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation this past summer. Through her internship, she was able to make several connections with Farm Bureau employees, which has helped CFB to excel this year. Mills says that her favorite memory in CFB is “competing in the Collegiate Discussion Meet at YFR Conference 2024 and making it to the final four round.”
CFB provides students with opportunities to compete on multiple levels for the chance to win cash prizes. It not only is a way to potentially win awards, but it also gives students the chance to network with agriculture leaders from all over the state and across the nation.
It also helps students stay up to date on agricultural issues. By meeting with farmers and agriculturalists, CFB helps students get firsthand information about issues on the farm. The Farm Bureau focuses on finding solutions to these issues and keeping everyone informed. They value hearing college students’ opinions and are excited to work with students from the university.
On Oct. 8, CFB members went to local farmer Andy Holt’s pumpkin patch for their monthly meeting. Holt, a former Tennessee legislator, and his family told their story about how they started their agritourism business. The students toured the farm, ate a pork chop meal and went on a hayride. The Holt family is an example of one of the many families that support CFB and their efforts to help the next generation of agriculture leaders.
CFB does not require any dues to join the club, but they do ask that students become members of either the Weakley County Farm Bureau or their home county Farm Bureau if they have not already done so.
The next meeting will be 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 12, in 258 Brehm Hall. Employees from the Farm Bureau headquarters will be joining the group to discuss internship and scholarship opportunities.
Food will be provided at the meeting.
