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Indiana Farm Bureau and some of its members were recognized for excellence at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s 2017 annual convention.

INFB received Awards of Excellence in all six program areas as well as a President’s Award for leadership development. President’s Awards are presented to states that achieve their membership quota and that demonstrated superiority in the Awards of Excellence categories.

In addition, Isabella Chism, INFB’s second vice president and chair of the state Women’s Leadership Committee, was reelected vice chair of the American Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Committee.

The American Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership program engages women with the training and education they need to become powerful advocates for today’s agriculture. The program provides women with leadership training, communication skills and networking to strengthen their ability to encourage positive change in their communities and in the agricultural industry. Two examples of key programs spearheaded by the program include the annual Women’s Communication Boot Camp and the year-round Our Food Link program.

In the Young Farmer & Rancher contests, contestants from Indiana finished in the top 10 in two Young Farmer competitions.

Meggie and Dallas Foster of Hancock County placed in the top 10 in the AFBF Young Farmer & Rancher Achievement Award while Deidra Gottbrath of Washington County was among the top 10 in the YF&R Excellence in Agriculture Award.

Also representing Indiana in the YF&R competitions was Liz Stitzel of Clinton County, who competed in the YF&R Discussion Meet.

The overall winners were Grant and Kristen Strom of Illinois, Achievement Award; Sarah Scyphers of Virginia, Excellence in Agriculture Award; and Matt Niswander of Tennessee, Discussion Meet.